Champions - Part I
by Daedric Princess of Madness
Summary: Laura's a thief. Eriama's a Dark Brotherhood assassin. One day the two of them get thrown into the same prison cell and are sent to close the Jaws of Oblivion. Only it's not that simple when one of them has a missing sister and a past she can't escape, and the other begins falling for the Septim heir. Part one in a two part series.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Here's a serious rewrite of my last Oblivion story (last time it was absolutely awful) and this time I plan to focus less on gameplay, even though it _will _be present. Also, a lot of Eriama's backstory incorporates stuff from Morrowind. Not that yu have to have played Morrowind to understand it. :P**

**Also, have fun reading.**

* * *

_**Prologue.**_

Last Seed was coming to a close and no one yet knew the fate of the Empire in the following years to come.

No one except Uriel Septim that is.

He knew his fate. He knew his son's fate. He knew that fate of everyone in Tamriel. Yet they remained ignorant to what would eventually happen. Uriel almost envied them that at first, but then realized he was privileged in knowing his fate.

He had lived a good life. An excellent one, actually. He was the seventh Uriel Septim and eleventh ruler in the Septim line. Sixty-five of his eighty five years of life had been ruling the Empire.

Now she was about to crumble.

"Sire, I think we ought to leave now," Renault's sharp voice caught his attention and he turned around.

"Assassins just started attacking the palace," he heard Baurus and Glenroy say in hushed voices. "They killed his sons."

If this incident had occurred in Uriel's youth - or even months before today, he would have wept. But he knew he would see his beloved sons again after a few hours.

_I was born 87 years ago_, he thought. _For 65 years I've ruled as Tamriel's Emperor. But for all these years I have never been the ruler of my own dreams. I have seen the Gates of Oblivion, beyond which no waking eye may see. Behold, in Darkness a Doom sweeps the land. This is the 27th of Last Seed; the Year of Akatosh 433._

"Sire, we need to leave," Renault repeated. "Now."

_These are the closing days of the 3rd Era, and the final hours of my life._

That was when Uriel gave in and silently left his bedroom with his Blades.

_Laura Haynori._

Six years prior to now, Laura Haynori had run away from home. Most would have thought her crazy to have run away from her rich, well to do mother in Kvatch, but Laura didn't care what her family thought at the time.

She just needed to get away.

Nevermind that she had very little gold - under a hundred Septims, actually - she need to get away from her mother's husband and the things he had done to her. And away from her mother, after she said she didn't believe her. That was when she decided she had had enough and packed up for a place that would bring her fame and fortune.

For the first few months of living in the Imperial City, it had been the exact opposite of what Laura had hoped. But then she found the Thieves' Guild.

Adiarjj, El-Leese and Hlavesa Marend, Guild Members that showed her the ropes after she joined. Her Doyen, Armand also helped but Laura didn't want to bother him.

As soon as Laura had enough money to rent a home on the Waterfront, she did so. And she saved what little money she could after little excursions. so that maybe one day she could leave Cyrodiil. See the rest of Tamriel, perhaps maybe even all of Nirn.

Only that wasn't possible, and it probably wouldn't be anytime soon.

Laura didn't dare confide this information to her friends; they'd protest more than anyone else if she left. She could just hear Adiarjj purr her contempt. _"By the Divines, why are you thinking of leaving so soon, Laura? The rest of Tamriel…? Oh, well. If you go to Elsweyr, let me know what it's like."_

Laura shook her head. That would be nothing compared to Hlavesa, who would no doubt warn her away from the Dunmeri district of Vvardenfell, and as Hlavesa said these words, her red eyes would no doubt be filled with tears.

Then El-Leese would probably demand what was going on in that insane head of hers.

One reason why Laura couldn't tell them why she was planning on leaving as soon as she could.

While Laura was thinking these thoughts she lay on her bed in her shack and would have drifted off to sleep if it hadn't been for the knock on the door. _More like a loud bang,_ Laura thought. _Maybe the Imperial Guard had finally caught onto my scummy activities and they're coming to arrest me._

Perhaps it was Hieronymus Lex, Captain of the Imperial Guard. Laura had met him after a few months of living on the Waterfront, when he had first been appointed Captain. He had demanded to know how long she had lived there and information about the Guild Laura refused to answer. Needless to say, Laura suspected he heavily disliked her, and she certainly didn't like him.

"Who in Oblivion is it?" Laura demanded.

"It's Adiarjj," a voice replied. "We were supposed to meet at the Bloated Float, remember?"

Laura groaned and swore into her pillow. She had totally forgotten about the job Armand had given her that night and began to hate herself for it.

"I'll be right there," Laura promised. "Just give me awhile to get dressed."

Laura thought she heard Adiarjj snort.

* * *

"Armand wants us to do a job," Adiarjj said to Laura and their friends, El-Leese and Hlavesa. They were sitting in the Bloated Float and eating lunch before getting ready for the neighborhood plunder of the evening.

"What kind of job is that?" El-Leese asked, her scales glistening under the light coming out of the window.

"The kind where you sneak into Julia Felwyn's house and I watch your backs," Adiarjj replied, her voice unsurprisingly casual.

That was when Hlavesa and Laura exchanged looks.

"What? By Talos, are you insane? The Elven Gardens has some of the best guards! That's asking for trouble!" Laura protested.

Adiarjj narrowed her cat eyes at Laura, almost causing her to squirm.

"Do we want possible promotion to Footpad or not?" Adiarjj growled.

"Of course I do," Laura said. "But-"

That was when Laura was cut off by a familiar voice; a voice all four girls detested.

"Staying out of trouble I hope, girls," Hieronymus Lex, one of the Imperial Watch captains, greeted them.

Hlavesa swore and then turned to Lex. "Can't you see you're interrupting a private conversation?"

"Unless I'm mistaken, I thought I heard you two talking about robbing someone. A friend of mine, in fact."

"You're mistaken," Laura said sharply, taking the chance to glare at Hlavesa for not keeping her cool with Lex.

"Not everyone that lives here on the Waterfront is a thief," El-Leese pointed out.

That was when Lex let them off with a warning.

They were close that time.

_Too _close.

* * *

Before the heist that would take place later that night, Laura would get ready to go. Through out most of the day, Laura wore her cheap cloth dresses - the kind of dresses she had taken with her when she fled Kvatch years ago. At night she wore leather armor El-Leese had given her when she had first arrived in the Imperial City almost six years ago, when she was sixteen. She was twenty two now, and had grown plenty since then. She had made friends, enemies and the people she lived with on the Waterfront - her Guild members - they were more of a family to Laura than her real family ever had been.

She once had a family, back in Anvil. Her mother Sabrinda was once a noble from a rich Imperial family in Skingrad, but left them so she could marry Lucret Haynori, and Imperial sailor who regularly traveled from Hammerfell to Cyrodiil.

There was Laura and her younger sister, Fennia. Fennia contracted an illness and died when she was twelve. That was when Sabrinda remarried a Nord man named Hulfgar and he brought his daughter Haema around and they moved to Kvatch.

Laura couldn't stand Haema, and couldn't stand Hulfgar even more. Especially after what he did to her. Laura supposed her family must have been a nice one once, but her father and sister died. Her mother changed. Everything changed, including her.

She didn't like remembering them. That was supposed to be in the past now.

* * *

Laura opened the door to her shack and to her great surprise, saw Jaret Ixamus waiting for her. He was more than a friend, but Laura didn't like to say they were courting. It was a more casual affair.

"By Dibella, you startled me," she began. "What are you doing here?"

Jaret smirked. "Oh, I'm sure you know."

Laura raised her eyebrows. "Other than breaking into my house and invading my space, that is?"

Jaret came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, before going to whisper in her ear. "You know, I had some free time this afternoon so maybe I could spend time with you…"

"Oh, you're kidding!" Laura snapped before spouting several swear words in Tamrielic. "I don't have time for this. I have business in town later tonight and I can't afford to be distracted."

That was when Laura broke away and began to rifle through her wooden draws for her leather armour.

"Is it because of that last time when-"

"No!" Laura smacked her Imperial companion away, continuing to look through her drawers. Until she gave up. Laura figured she put them in her chest again.

"You're jealous, aren't you?" Jaret asked. "Is it because I was flirting with that Bosmer woman on Loredas?"

Laura glared at him angrily. "You were flirting with a Bosmer woman on Loredas?"

Jaret smirked. "Well, yes. She's new in these parts. Long, brown hair...usually wears leather armor…"

That was when Laura kissed him, and then broke away. "You know, I think I can spare a few moments."

* * *

"By the Nine Divines, where have you _been?"_ Adiarjj growled at Laura angrily. Laura and Jaret had fallen asleep. They usually did, but Laura had a heist to perform and knew that she knew better.

"You were with Jaret, weren't you?" Hlavesa asked.

Laura fumed. "Shut up."

"It doesn't matter, let's go," El-Leese said. "We have a heist to perform."

The Elven Gardens were unusually quiet that night. In fact, the quiet unsettled Laura. She mentioned this to her friends, who dismissed it and claimed her ridiculous.

"Right," Adiarjj said. "I'll wait and watch your back. You three get in and take the jewelry."

"Got it," Laura said. That's when they got in, and hoped to get out as soon as possible. It would have ended that way had it not been for a young Altmer girl walking in on them and calling for help.

* * *

Just then, a couple of guards entered Julia Felwyn's home, and not too far from that Lex himself.

"Stop right there, Criminal Scum," Lex began harshly, "you violated the law! Pay the court a fine or serve your sentence, your stolen goods are now -"

That's when Lex cut himself off.

"- forfeit." he finished.

Laura glared at him.

"You," he began. "I've seen you _all_ before today, haven't I? Trouble if I ever saw them," he said to Julia Felwyn, the owner of the house.

Laura glared at Lex, but if he saw it at all, he ignored it.

"Thieves Guild or not, you still tried to steal my family heirlooms," Julia Felwyn said coldly, glancing at Lex pointedly. "Deal with these thieves in anyway you find suitable."

"Well, in that case," Lex was gloating now. Laura hated the sight of him gloating.

It was disgusting.

"You girls have three options. You can pay the court a fine, go to jail or," Lex grinned again, "or if you feel like a little violence, you could resist arrest. But I highly doubt you'd want to disturb the peace."

Laura didn't have the coin on her right now to pay the fine. And she certainly didn't feel like having a battle with the guards. It would be a damned suicide mission. So she would have to go to jail for what little time a thief had.

"Damn it," Laura sighed. "You win, Lapdog. Cart me off to jail. I highly doubt the sentence for trespassing and attempted thievery will last long."

That's when Lex chuckled. That's when Laura gulped.

"You are in way over your head, Haynori."

Laura scoffed. In over my head? No way, Lex…

Two weeks after her arrest, however, Laura began to realize Lex was right.

She _was_ in over her head.

More than he ever knew.

_Eriama Therayn._

_She sat beside the dead body of her stepmother and tears began to fall down her face. She hadn't meant to kill her, she hadn't meant to use magic at all. All she felt was anger at the woman for not keeping her mouth shut._

_She continued to sob as her sister comforted her, because their father was going to call the guards any second and have her arrested. Probably for using magic in addition to killing his wife._

_She screamed when her sister took the blame for her mistakes, mostly because her sister didn't deserve that fate; a prisoner's life. She did and only she did._

_In the end, their father's favorite was dragged out of the house and she was thrown out onto the streets. She slept somewhere in the Market District, and was awoken by the sound of someone's breathing. Sure enough, a dark figure was standing against the stone wall with a grin on his face._

_"Troubled sleep?" he asked. "That's highly unusual for a murderer."_

That's when Eriama awoke with a jolt, her forehead dripping with sweat and shaking with fear.

* * *

Eriama didn't like dreaming about the past, but it had been happening more or less every night for the past six years. About her stepmother's death, about Ulina comforting her and then Ulina being taken away. Ulina may have fooled the guards, but she certainly didn't fool their father because he threw Eriama out not long afterwards. Eriama was then found by Lucien Lachance - newly appointed Speaker of the Black Hand - and was recruited into the Dark Brotherhood.

Eriama did go to the prison to see if she could find her sister, and maybe break her out a week later but Eriama found out Ulina had been shipped to Vvardenfell under mysterious circumstances - after she had bribed the guards of course.

Eriama had never felt more guilty then, and she still carried that guilt on her conscience. She probably would for the rest of her life.

While Eriama made herself at home in the Cheydinhal Sanctuary, she never forgot about her sister. Eriama did her best to push away mental images of Ulina out in Vvardenfell, exploring their ancestral home. Or she could still be in prison. Maybe.

* * *

"Rough night?" Ocheeva inquired curiously as Eriama served herself some food and sat at one of the many benches in the dining hall. "Antonietta said you were talking in your sleep."

"No," Eriama lied. "So, you said you had a contract for me?"

Ocheeva gave Eriama a quizzical look, but dropped the subject. "As a matter of fact, yes. It's in the Imperial City."

Eriama felt as if someone had just reached inside her and twisted her insides. "The Imperial City? But-"

"You're worried, aren't you?" Ocheeva asked. _Yes,_ Eriama thought. "About Adamus Phillida and his hold on the city."

Eriama resisted the urge to let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you can handle it," Ocheeva assured her. "Besides, that Imperial Dog is not what he used to be. There's talk he may retire soon. But enough about him...about the job…"

* * *

A fellow Dunmer owed all sort of money to the wrong kinds of people, and the Dark Brotherhood had been hired to take care of it. This was where Eriama came in.

Eriama had been trying to avoid the Imperial City for years. She had lived there with her family and that's where she killed her. Serethi Therayn. Her stepmother.

The Imperial City was also the place where her sister, Ulina, was arrested for her crime. Then Ulina was carted off to Vvardenfell and Eriama was unlikely to ever see her again.

Eriama soon found out that her target resided in The Elven Gardens district. That made matters even worse.

Eriama headed there, despite the feeling in her gut that was telling her not to.

* * *

Eriama entered the house that belonged to her victim - a Drelan Motah - and unsheathed her dagger. He has to be around here somewhere.

She found him in his bedroom, sound asleep. That's when she stabbed him, the blood oozing onto the silky white bedsheets. Eriama thought this would be the end of it and turned to leave, but stopped in her tracks when she heard an earsplitting scream.

She never expected Motah to have a _wife._


	2. Prison Escape

**A/N: This chapter is from Laura's POV only, and the next chapter will be from Eriama's, however, I don't know when it'll be published. I'll publish chapters for this story when I feel like it.**

* * *

**_Chapter one: Prison Escape._**

Laura had been in the prison for a week.

_A week._

She suspected her friends El-Leese and Hlavesa had enough money to pay the fine and Adiarjj was lucky enough to slip away unnoticed.

_Bastards._

Laura was hungry, tired and alone. She had been in the prison long enough to ignore the screeching insults coming from Valen Dreth, a fellow prisoner. At first when she arrived in prison, she shouted insults back at him. Now it was easier to bolt out his insults.

He was insulting her now.

"Hey, you," Laura heard him say, "you're an Imperial in an Imperial Prison...your own kinsman think you're a piece of human trash-"

"Oh, shut up, Dreth," Laura suddenly heard a firm, male voice say.

An Imperial guard was marching down the hall with a young Dunmer girl who couldn't have been much older than her. The Dunmer girl was dressed in similar rags, and had her black hair tied back. Laura thought the girl was actually rather pretty and wondered what someone like her was doing in prison. In Laura's case, it was rather obvious.

Just like that, Laura's prison cell opened and the Dunmer girl was practically thrown in, falling on her knees. The girl coughed and turned to face the guard, who was locking the door.

"I know what you're thinking," he said to the Dunmer girl. "Thief thrown in with a murderer? That's not something we tend to do. But I have orders. And orders were that you were to both be thrown in here."

That's when the guard left them. Laura, who felt creeped out after she found out the girl inside her cell was a murderer, voluntarily backed away.

"So…" Laura began, trying to keep her voice casual. "You're a murderer…"

Laura tried to keep her voice casual, and thought her attempt at doing so was pathetic.

The Dunmer girl shook her head.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said. "Besides, even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I don't have a weapon to stab you with."

Laura brushed her light brown hair away from the front of her face. "How...how do I know you didn't sneak a dagger in by using your underclothes? My cousin did that once. She got a life sentence!"

The girl shook her head.

"Because the scumbags forced me into these clothes," she answered. "They always go on about Criminal Scum, yet they're no better themselves."

The girl looked around the room.

"I'm Eriama Therayn, by the way," Eriama said. "How about you?"

"I'm Laura…" Laura found herself answering before she could stop herself. "Laura Haynori."

"Pleased to meet you, Laura," Eriama replied. "Until you eventually get out, that is. I highly doubt I'll be getting out anytime soon."

Laura tried to find a way to reply to Eriama, but couldn't. She wanted to say she felt sorry for her, but Laura doubted Eriama would appreciate it. Before Laura or Eriama could say another word, however, they both heard sneers coming from across the hall. Then, there was a whistle.

"I must surely be dead, and in the halls of Azura to look upon such a vision..."

Laura and Eriama quickly turned around to see Valen Dreth gawking at them both. Then, Laura realized Dreth was gawking at Eriama.

"Excuse me?" Eriama snapped.

"You are so beautiful, my dear Dunmer maiden," Dreth continued. "One of the guards owes me a favor, you know. I could get us put in the same cell. Would you like that? You should have some fun before the end."

That was when Eriama grabbed a nearby ceramic jug and threw it. The jug landed against the wall, the pieces scattering across the floor. One of the pieces hit Laura's arm and made a small cut, but Laura didn't cry out in pain.

"If we weren't so conveniently locked behind these steel bars, I'd have thrown that where it hurts most," Eriama said harshly. "Do I make myself clear?"

Laura though she saw Dreth shudder, even from the distance they were. It took her considerable pains not to burst out laughing.

"You're going to die in here then," Dreth said. _"Both_ of you. You're going to DIE."

Laura snorted. It was highly unlikely. She was just a thief after all. But she couldn't help but shudder when she saw Eriama fall silent.

"Are...are you OK?" Laura asked her Dunmer companion. Eriama didn't reply - or didn't have the chance to - because there was a sudden slam of a door and a silent pause in the room.

"Hear that, girl?" Dreth suddenly asked. "The guards. Their coming for you, you know."

"In the name of Oblivion, shut up," Laura found herself hissing to Dreth. "I've had enough."

"My sons...they're dead, aren't they?"

Laura and Eriama exchanged looks. Both had heard a deep, male voice enter the room.

"We don't know that, sire," a female voice answered. "But right now my job is to get _you_ to safety."

Laura didn't know what to think when she heard the sound of footsteps fall and shadowy figures moving closer towards the cell.

Laura recognized the face of the older man immediately.

Emperor Uriel Septim the Seventh.

And the soldiers with him surely must be the Blades - a rather secretive organization that protected the Emperor and served the Empire.

Laura had no idea who Eriama killed to get arrested, but it must surely have been bad - _very_ bad - for the Emperor himself to be on her heels.

"What are these prisoners doing in here!" Laura heard the woman bark. "This cell was supposed to be _off limits!"_

"Usual mix-up with the watch...I...," Laura heard one of the other soldiers say, stuttering in the process.

"Nevermind," she said, "just get that gate open. Now. Stand back, prisoners."

Laura stood back, but Eriama scowled at them.

"We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way," the woman said harshly.

That's when Eriama stood back and glanced at Eriama.

"What did you _do?"_ Laura whispered.

Eriama scoffed.

"Nevermind me, what did _you_ do?" Eriama snapped.

Laura was outraged now. _"You…"_

"You…" another voice interrupted Laura and Eriama. Uriel. The Emperor was looking directly at Laura now, and Eriama.

"I'm sorry," Laura couldn't help but say. "I-"

"I've _seen_ you," Uriel began.

Laura heard Eriama let out a rather sarcastic laugh.

"With all due respect, your highness, I doubt it," Eriama muttered. If anyone heard her, no one paid her any mind.

"Let me see your face," Uriel requested. "You are the ones from my dreams…"

Laura honestly didn't know how to respond to that, so instead she glanced at Eriama, hoping she would help. Eriama said nothing.

"Then the stars were right, and this is the day. Gods give me strength," Uriel continued, talking more to himself than anyone else.

There was then a pregnant pause that entered the prison cell, until Laura could stand it no longer.

"Just what in Oblivion is going on here?" she demanded.

Eriama looked shocked, and the Blade looked angry as if they wanted to demand why Laura would take that tone with the Emperor of Tamriel but Uriel didn't seem to care.

"Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next," Uriel replied simply. "My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell."

Laura thought she could have been imagining it, but she thought she heard the Blades express their displeasure. Laura could tell that tell they disapproved of Uriel informing two lowly prisoners about their plans.

"Why am I in jail?" Laura asked. She already knew the answer to this question, but she wanted to know if Uriel knew as well.

"Perhaps the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet," Uriel replied. "As for what you have done, it does not matter…that is not what you will be remembered for."

Laura was certain she heard Eriama scoff and then mutter words under her breath. Laura was sure she caught the words "murderer" and "Ocheeva," whatever that meant.

"Sire, we need to get going," one of the Blades snapped. Then he pulled a lever, revealing a secret passage. Laura cursed herself for not finding it sooner.

"You will find your own path," Uriel concluded. "Take care... there will be blood and death before the end."

Laura didn't know what to make of Uriel Septim's chilling words, and tried her best to do so as he and his Blades walked in the passage.

The third Blade hadn't spoken up until now, but he said, "it's your lucky day, girls. You can find a way to get out but don't-"

"BAURUS!" a shrilly female voice cried from inside the passageway.

"-follow us" the Blade - Baurus - finished. Then, the young Redguard ran into the secret passage, leaving Laura well confused. She imagine Eriama was well confused as well.

"So, what do we do now?" Eriama asked.

Laura gritted her teeth.

"What else can we do but follow them?" she asked. "Unless you want another unpleasant match with Valen Dreth."

* * *

The two encountered the dead body of one of the Blades. The woman. Apparently her name was Captain Renault. Laura took the sword off the floor and handed it to Eriama.

"No, you take it," Eriama insisted.

Laura snorted.

"Do _I_ look like the sort of girl who would use a sword?" Laura snapped. "I thought _you_ were the murderer?"

Laura was lying. She did know how to use a sword. She just hadn't used one in years, and when she was practicing she had been under her father's supervision. Of course, this was years before his death at sea.

"To be honest, you kind of do," Eriama replied dryly, ignoring Laura's comment about her crime. Eriama took the sword anyway. "Now let's go. We need to find a way out of here."

They approached a wooden door, stepping over dead bodies. They were all wearing red robes. _Just who are these people?_ Laura thought. Or more appropriately, _who_ were _these people?_

Eriama tried opening the wooden door, but no such luck. That was when a certain corner of the room caught Laura's eye and she kicked the loose stones in the wall, revealing a way out.

And giant rats.

Eriama unsheathed the sword Laura had given her and started slashing at the rats, killing several of them. But then more appeared.

Laura saw a piece of stone on the floor and threw it at the rats, knocking them on the head and killing them instantly, probably because their little skulls wouldn't have survived.

Eriama turned to Laura and smiled grimly.

"What?" Laura demanded.

"You really need a weapon," Eriama said and the two of them continued onwards, not speaking another word until they escaped.

* * *

The way out of the catacombs was far from easy as the two ran into more rats, a zombie and then a goblin tribe, but they surprisingly made it. And then ran into Uriel Septim and his remaining Blades again.

All three of them were fighting off armoured men and were outnumbered. That was when Laura decided to help them. She may be a thief, but surely even the Emperor would be grateful for help.

When all the armoured men were dead, Uriel and his Blades turned to the girls, who were exchanging looks.

"Dammit, it's those prisoners again! Kill them, they might be working with the assassins," one of the Blades cried.

Laura resisted the urge to let out her anger at the man's outburst. She had _helped_ them, why would she want to _kill_ them?

Clearly, Eriama was thinking along the same lines, because her lips curled into a sneer as she said, "we _helped_ you, didn't we? Blades or not, I think we deserve more respect."

The Blade's expression was absolutely livid, and he opened his mouth to speak but Uriel held up a hand, interrupting them.

"No," he began, his tone firm. "They are not with them, Glenroy. They can help us."

Laura shifted her eyes away from the Emperor.

"They _must_ help us," Uriel finished.

The Blade - Glenroy - snorted, and then said - with a great deal of reluctance, "as you wish, Sire," before storming off.

Laura looked over towards Eriama. The elf's expression was filled with exactly the same emotion Laura was feeling; confusion.

"Here," a voice behind them began. Laura turned around and saw it was Baurus. He was holding out a lit torch.

"If you're coming with us, you may as well make yourself useful," Baurus said. "Take this torch."

Eriama rolled her eyes, and Laura decided she would have to do her part.

"Whatever you say," Laura replied dryly, taking the torch Baurus was giving to her. He then turned around and went ahead of Uriel and Glenroy.

* * *

After a few steps into the next room, Uriel stopped and pulled Laura and Eriama aside.

"They cannot understand why I trust you," Uriel began.

Laura couldn't really blame the Blades. Even _she_ didn't understand why he trusted them.

"They've not seen what I've seen," Uriel continued, confusing Laura all the more. "How can I explain?"

"With all due respect, your Highness-" Laura began, trying to keep her tone polite.

Uriel held up a hand, giving them the indication not to interrupt.

"Listen. You know the Nine? How They guide our fates with an invisible hand?" He asked.

Laura's father was a firm believer in the Nine Divines, and so was her mother. Laura on the other hand, was not.

"No, I don't," Eriama admitted, surprising Laura.

"I don't know," Laura said, "I really don't think about it."

"I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens," Uriel told them. "The skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign. I know these stars well, and I wonder... which sign marked your birth?"

"The Thief," Laura replied. She knew that much.

"The Shadow," Eriama said.

"The signs I read show the end of my path. My death, a necessary end, will come when it will come," Uriel replied calmly.

_What kind of man is so accepting about his death?_ Laura thought.

"Yeah, well what about us?" Eriama asked.

"Your stars are not mine," the Emperor replied, before going into a brief explanation about their birth signs and his death.

They kept walking alongside the Blades in silence, until Laura blurted out what she had been tempting to ask him.

"Aren't you afraid to die?"

"No trophies of my triumphs precede me," Uriel replied. "But I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy. Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom, but not the hour. In this I am blessed to see the hour of my death... To face my apportioned fate, then fall."

Then, they began walking again.

_A simple yes or no would have sufficed,_ Laura thought.

As soon as that conversation was over, there was a loud clang and more armored assassins appeared. Eriama, Glenroy and Baurus, who were all armed, ran towards them.

"Protect the Emperor!" Baurus cried after her. "Guard him with your_ life!"_

Laura sighed and followed Uriel into what appeared to be a safe room of the corner.

* * *

"I can go no further," Uriel began after they stepped into the room. "You two alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings!" He almost shouted.

Laura frowned. _Prince of Destruction? Amulet of Kings?_ Laura had no idea what Uriel was talking about. And as she tried to understand, her head began to spin.

"But, sire..."

"Take the Amulet. Give it to Jauffre. He alone knows where to find my last son," Uriel insisted.

"But your sons are dead," Laura croaked. She opened her mouth to say other things, but her mouth was dry. When Laura began to talk, an assassin came in and struck Uriel down. A fireball spell hit the killer in the chest.

Eriama was standing in the doorway as Laura sat, crying over the Emperor's dying body.

"Uriel..." Laura began.

Uriel began coughing up blood, but managed to take off the amulet that was around his neck and hold it out to Laura. Reluctantly, she took it.

"...find him," he coughed, "and close shut the jaws of Oblivion."

That was when he suddenly stopped breathing. Laura glanced at Eriama and Baurus who had entered the room.

"We failed…" Baurus said. _"I_ failed..."


	3. Fire and Ash

**A/N: No longer a preview. Anyway, this is from Eriama's POV.**

* * *

**_Chapter Two: Fire and Ash._**

"The Blades are sworn to protect the Emperor, and now he and all his heirs are dead," Baurus finished, his voice filled with grief.

Eriama stood beside Baurus, resisting the urge to let out a string of heated swears in Tamrielic.

She had heard every word.

_What in Oblivion did he mean, 'close shut the jaws of Oblivion?'_ Eriama thought heatedly.

Her thoughts were soon interrupted by Baurus walking over to the Emperor's body, inspecting it carefully.

"The Amulet, where's the Amulet of King? It's not on the Emperor's body!"

Eriama's gaze turned to the her former cell mate, Laura. The Imperial girl held something in her hands. Something glinting.

"What is that?" Eriama asked curiously.

Laura held it up, and the red amulet glinted even more.

"It's the amulet…" Laura hesitated. "The Emperor...Uriel...he gave it to me before he died."

Eriama clenched her fists without thinking about it. _The girl was - is - a thief! What if she's trying to steal it and sell it back to someone?_

Eriama wouldn't ever do such a thing. She wouldn't even murder the Emperor. It was one thing the Dark Brotherhood refused to do. Spilling Septim blood just wasn't a good idea. Eriama didn't know why when she was told, but now she was starting to understand.

"Strange…" Baurus's voice trailed off. "He saw something in you. _Trusted_ you. Actually, both of you."

Eriama bit her lip.

"But _why?"_ Laura asked. Eriama was going to ask the same question. They were prisoners and he was an Emperor. The Emperor should know better than to trust random ragtags, even if the Eternal Champion had been one by chance.

"They say it's the Dragon Blood, that flows through the veins of every Septim. They see more than lesser men," Baurus explained. "The Amulet of Kings is a sacred symbol of the Empire. Most people think of the Red Dragon Crown, but that's just jewelry...the Amulet has power. Only a true heir of the Blood can wear it, they say."

_Then why did he give it to Laura?_ Eriama thought.

"He must have given it to you for a reason. Did he say why?" Baurus asked.

Eriama could almost feel Laura's cluelessness.

"He just said I had to take it to Jauffre," Laura replied. "That's all he said."

Eriama didn't have any clue as to who in Oblivion Jauffre was, but she had the feeling she didn't want to know either.

_"Jauffre?"_ Baurus asked. "Why?"

Eriama could sense from the tone in Baurus's voice that 'Jauffre,' whoever that was, was someone important. Obviously important enough for Laura to deliver the Amulet of Kings to.

Eriama then heard bits and pieces of information about another lost Septim heir, and where to go. Eriama didn't want to listen anymore.

"So what do we do now?" Laura asked.

Eriama suddenly felt a rush of displeasure. _We?_ Eriama didn't consider herself a part of this. She didn't want to get involved in the Empire's politics.

"First you need to get out of here," Baurus said gravely. _Obviously_, Eriama thought. "Through that door must be the entrance to the sewers, past the locked gate," Baurus then nodded towards a locked door behind them. "That's where we were heading. It's a secret way out of the Imperial City."

"Then how did the assassins get in?" Eriama heard herself say.

It was the first time she had spoken since the Emperor died.

Baurus scowled. "It was supposed to be secret anyway."

He then handed Eriama a rusty looking key. Eriama was a little shocked that he would hand it to_ her_ and not Laura, who was sitting behind them with an anxious look on her face.

"You'll need this key for the last door into the sewers," Baurus said. That was when Laura made a move to the next room, leaving Eriama with Baurus.

"You saved my neck down there," Baurus told her. "I take it from your actions you are a noble knight?"

Eriama thought of her time in the Dark Brotherhood - six years of murdering the innocent; stabbing them in the back, in the heart while they slept, poisoning them…

Eriama was far from a noble knight.

"No," Eriama said. "No, I'm far from a knight."

"Then what did you do?" Baurus asked. "Surely your imprisonment was a mistake?"

Eriama winced.

"It wasn't."

That was when she turned to follow Laura, and then both left the sewers.

* * *

Bright light shone into Eriama eyes as she left the sewers, and she took in the sights. Not too far from them was an Ayleid ruin. The Ayleid's had long since disappeared from Cyrodiil, but many of their secrets remained. There was also a forestry area up ahead, and birds flying in the afternoon sky.

"It's beautiful," Eriama heard Laura breathlessly.

Eriama silently agreed. It was a refreshing sight, even from where they were standing; in a puddle of sewer water that had poured out of the escape with them.

"It's a shame we can't watch it forever," Laura said, "because we have to go to Chorrol and find out where Jauffre is."

Eriama sighed. She had enough of Laura implying that the two of them were a team.

"I'm not going," Eriama blurted.

Laura blinked.

"But, Eriama...the Emperor wanted us to-"

That was when Eriama burst.

"Yes, I know. We've been pardoned!" Eriama lifted her arms up in the air. "But I never asked for this, Haynori! I never asked to be dragged into a political crisis! Besides, you don't want me with you."

Laura raised her eyebrows. "Oh, and why not? Other than the fact that you were a murderer, that is."

Laura was judging her! Just like almost everyone else except for the other Dark Brotherhood members had judged her for years ever since her stepmother's death and her sister's imprisonment.

"Because I'm not _just_ a murderer, I'm an assassin," Eriama said. "I'm a member of the Dark Brotherhood."

And with that, Eriama stalked away, leaving Laura standing there.

* * *

Eriama paid her way back to Cheydinhal with the little amount of gold she had found in the Imperial Prison, seeing as the guards had taken it all and by now there was little to no chance of getting it back now. Eriama had also bought a good set of leather armor and some food with the little she had left.

Eriama arrived in Cheydinhal two days after she escaped, and made her way back to the abandoned house with ease. She had lived in Cheydinhal a good six years now, and was very familiar with the city.

Cheydinhal was a Cyrodillic city mostly populated by rich, well-to-do Dunmer who had either imigrated from mainland Morrowind, or they were businessmen and women passing through. Eriama grew up in the Imperial City, where she learnt nothing of her racial background, despite the fact that her parents grew up in Morrowind. Here, she learnt a lot from Llevana Nedaren - a fellow Dunmer who used to live in Mournhold but had moved to Cyrodiil following the fall of the Almsivi. Llevana was happy to talk about Dunmeri culture, satisfying Eriama's immense curiosity at the time.

Llevana was now yelling at the town guard Captain, and yelling out several profanities in Tamrielic in the process.

"I have a mind to have you arrested!" was the captain's heated response.

"Go ahead! Do it," Llevana taunted. "I don't care! Because of you, Aldos has no home…"

Eriama was now out of earshot, and was about to enter the Abandoned house when a young woman - she looked a bit too old to be a teenager - left the building, shocking Eriama.

The girl had been newly recruited into their ranks obviously, because if she hadn't Eriama would have met her by now. She was wearing the shrouded armor they all wore (with the exception of Gogron, but that was another story) and had taken her hood down. Eriama caught a glimpse of her face. She was a Breton with shoulder length auburn hair and dark brown eyes.

The woman had seen Eriama, because she gave her a cold stare.

"Just who are you?" she snapped. "Don't you know people are supposed to stay away from this house?"

"Look who's talking," Eriama sneered. "I just saw you come out the front door!"

Without another word, the Breton girl walked away towards the Cheydinhal gates. Eriama muttered a few profanities under her breath and then entered the house, and went into the house's basement until she found the door to the sanctuary.

_"What is the color of night?"_ Eriama heard the whispering voice that she was well used to by now say.

"Sanguine, my brother," Eriama replied sourly.

It took a moment for the door to open - almost as if it was hesitating - before eventually letting her in. Eriama took in the sight of her familiar home at once.

It had changed - somewhat.

"Eriama!"

It was Vicente, the sanctuary's resident vampire. Eriama had seemed shocked when she first met him (at sixteen years old, she had never met a vampire before in her life) but she had gotten used to Vicente rather quickly. He was a brotherly figure to her, in a sense.

They had all turned into her brothers and sisters.

"Hey, Vicente," Eriama responded, attempting and failing to keep her voice casual.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Where have you been? We've all been worried sick...well, not so much M'raaj-Dar, but you know how he is…"

Eriama held up a hand. "Calm down. Maybe I'll be able to explain."

"Maybe?"

Eriama felt herself scowl. "OK, so maybe not just maybe. I've been to jail."

"What's that about going to jail?" Eriama heard an all too familiar voice enter the sanctuary. It was Ocheeva, holding a stack of paper in her right hand and a quill in her left.

"Well?" she snapped. "All I know is that you set off for the Imperial City via the Blue Road two weeks ago, and we haven't heard from you since."

"I was locked up the same day I got caught," Eriama admitted. "But enough about that. Who's the young Breton girl you recruited?"

"Ariana," Vicente replied. "She's new here, but she's already completed two of the contacts we've planned for you to do. Now, because of her impressive work, both Captain Tussard and Baelin's souls have been taken by Sithis."

Eriama looked towards Ocheeva.

"You gave Vicente my contacts?" she snapped.

"They needed to be done by a certain date and Lucien has a lot of faith in her," Ocheeva said. "Given how long you had been gone - over a week, might I add - we needed to do something."

Eriama shook her head.

"You're serious."

"Eriama, it unwise to speak that way to a superior," Vicente began.

Eriama already knew about the five tenets.

That was when she rushed downstairs to the quarters.

Never had she felt so insulted.

* * *

Eriama decided that if she was going to leave, she had to do it soon. She never intended for the Sanctuary to be her permanent residence.

Oblivion, she never intended for _Cyrodiil_ to be her permanent residence.

The only weapon Eriama had now that was truly her own was her bow and arrows. It was a bow made from daedric metal, imported from Vvardenfell.

It had been her mother's. Her_ real_ mother's. The one that died before Eriama could even memorize her face.

Eriama knew she would have to depend on it more than ever now that her blades were no longer in possession. No doubt they had been left to rot in some chest in the Imperial City.

There was also a bunch of arrows at the bottom of her chest. Eriama took these and made way to find Ocheeva.

Later, Eriama went to visit Ocheeva in her room. Ariana - the new girl - was still out on her third assignment. Eriama decided to do this as soon as possible while there were no prying eyes or eavesdroppers around. Everyone else - with the exception of Ocheeva and Vicente - was out on contracts.

Ocheeva was sitting in a chair in her room, reading a copy of _Classics by Crassius Curio_ and sipping a goblet of wine. Eriama rolled her eyes and cleared her throat to get Ocheeva's attention.

"Yes, sister? What is it?"

Eriama gave Ocheeva a long look.

"Ocheeva, I was wondering if it's possible to leave the Dark Brotherhood."

Ocheeva looked up, suddenly interested.

"Well, it's generally frowned upon for several reasons. But…"

Eriama raised her eyebrows.

"...yes," the Argonian woman finished reluctantly. "Why, you're not thinking of leaving?"

Eriama shifted her eyes.

"Actually, yes," Eriama said.

Ocheeva's eyes widened.

"But...where will you go?"

Eriama had already pack and was making plans to go to the docking town of Anvil, where perhaps she could get a boat to Valenwood or Hammerfell, and start a new journey. Maybe she would travel all across all of Tamriel. Anywhere but Cyrodiil.

Cyrodiil was so boring.

"Don't worry about it," Eriama said. "I'm sure I can figure it out."

Two days later, Eriama had made it halfway across the Gold Coast and was approaching the city of Kvatch; a place where the upper-class families tended to live. Eriama had been there once, while Ulina and her stepmother were still part of the family, to watch the Arena. Serethi had wanted to know more about the province they lived in and their father obliged.

Eriama didn't like Kvatch. It seemed _too_ nice to her. The Imperial City was far from perfect, and that was why Eriama felt more at home there.

As Eriama neared the city, she saw that the skies were dark over there. Perhaps it was a storm, she thought. But Eriama was sadly mistaken.

The skies were red, and the city was up in flames.

And the smell…Eriama would never forget the smell as long as she lived.

It was the smell of fire. Fire and ash.

Eriama approached the burning city, and saw several of it's citizens - men, mer, women and children - rushing out the front gate. They were accompanied by what looked like more than half the Kvatch guard.

"What's going on?" Eriama demanded.

An Altmer woman wearing a simple green and blue outfit looked at Eriama.

"A gate opened," she said. "A great fiery gate right to Oblivion itself. By the Gods, the daedra! There was so many of them!"

The Altmer woman was right. Right in front of them - perhaps a few feet away - were three fiery portal. The one in the middle was huge, with daedra flooding right out.

Then it closed, leaving the two smaller ones standing.


	4. Sword and Amulet

**A/N: This is the chapter in where Laura gets Chillrend as well as talks to Jauffre. I altered some of the events in "The Killing Field" so it's a bit different from how it is ingame.**

* * *

_**Chapter three: Sword and Amulet.**_

The city of Chorrol was rather nice, but different from what Laura was used to. Now that she was here, she would have to find out where Weynon Priory was - and hopefully Jauffre. Then, she could get on with her life.

But first thing was first and Laura was tired. She had walked miles and she needed rest before she collapsed in the street.

The Oak and Crosier was packed; Laura found out as soon as she stepped inside. But, it occurred to Laura as soon as she left, that perhaps they were lying to her just to make her leave.

The Grey Mare was, it seemed, much more packed than the previous inn in Chorrol. Laura ordered a drink and sat at one of the unoccupied tables.

"...my sons. Have you seen my sons?"

"For the last damn time, Oddil, no we have not," Laura heard someone snap. She looked up and saw an Orc and an older Imperial man in discussion. The Imperial looked tired; agitated.

When the Orc left the older man alone, Laura looked down and continued to sip on her drink.

"You, girl," the man began. Laura looked up. "You haven't seen my sons, have you? I see you're new around here…"

"Your sons?"

Laura suddenly had a mental image of two young boys wandering around Chorrol, lost.

"Yes," he said. "Rallus and Antus. They're going to fight off the creatures at our farm southeast of here, but I fear for their safety."

Laura suddenly remembered that when she was on her way to Chorrol, she saw two young men near the gate. They had been sitting on the grass with a sack of weapons and were in a very heated discussion. Laura had paid them no mind then.

Though she was interested now.

"I'm Laura," she said, pulling up a chair next to him. "And you would be?"

"Valus Odiil," the man said.

"What are these...creatures?" Laura asked.

"I don't know what they are," Valus admitted. "All I know is that for the last few days, we've suffered attacks from these creatures at our farm not far from Chorrol. They're coming from someplace in the Great Forest. I don't know where, but Rallus may know more by now."

"Have you told the guards?" Laura asked. Creatures bothering a farm would no doubt start attacking the entire city eventually.

"They don't think we have proof," Valus said with a hint of impatience. "No matter. My boys will take up the fight even if the guards won't. Doesn't matter if it's outside the town walls - it still affects us all. They expect me to go with them, but... I fear in my old age, I'm not the warrior I once was."

Laura suddenly felt a little sad for Valus Odiil. The guards were refusing to help him with creatures attacking their farm and she had no idea how to help. If only she could...

"You seem like a capable young woman," Valus nodded towards the dagger sheathed at Laura's left side. "Maybe...but no...that'd be ridiculous..."

Laura suddenly caught on.

"But of course I'll help," Laura said. "And I think I know where your sons are, so I'll find them."

* * *

Laura left the city, feeling a sudden burst of energy befall her again. Rallus and Antus Odiil were still where Laura had first seen them, but were readying their swords and were starting back down the Black Road when Laura called out their names.

The eldest - Rallus - turned and saw Laura because he had a puzzled look on his face.

"Who are you?" he asked.

Laura grinned at him.

"I'm Laura Haynori," she said. "Your father can't come so he…"

Laura hesitated.

"...he sent me in his place," she finished.

Antus snorted while Rallus narrowed his eyes.

"He sent _you?"_ Rallus asked. "Just how experienced are you with weapons, girl? You don't look the sort."

Laura shifted her eyes. She had some experience with swords. Her father had taught her when she was younger. But when he died, she lost the craft. While living in the Imperial City she had been taught that keeping a weapon around was a wise idea if you lived in a shady area like the Waterfront, Laura hadn't the need to use a weapon until very recently.

"I...I know the basics," Laura stammered.

Antus scowled, then handed her a steel shortsword.

"If we're going to have you along with us," he said, "you may as well have a better weapon than that thing."

He nodded towards the dagger Laura had.

The three of them - with Ralus in the lead - went towards Odiil farm.

"Quiet," Rallus advised them as they stepped into the vegetable field. "They'll start going for the crops when they arrive, and they we attack them by surprise. There should only be about two or three of them. Nothing we can't deal with."

"Are the crops the reason why you've been attacked?" Laura asked

Aventus sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. There was one big attack and then they've been dwindling in numbers -"

All of a sudden, Laura heard an unpleasant screech and all three turned around. Several shadowy figures were over the hill, approaching them.

Laura knew what they were. They had been in the catacombs when she and Eriama had escaped.

_"Goblins!"_ Laura shrieked. "And there aren't two or three of them! There are loads!"

That was when they started attacking. Then, the goblins lay dead across the field and the three started catching their breath.

"I think there are more of them!" Rallus cried. "I can hear something."

Sure enough, more Goblins ran towards the farm, breaking the fences surrounding them in the process. Laura hit one of them with her sword, but another attempted to bite a huge chunk out of her leg. It didn't, as Rallus hit it before it could, but Laura still felt a little odd.

"Here," Antus said, throwing a bottle towards her, "drink this." Laura did so, and the strange feeling in her leg disappeared.

More Goblins appeared. The three continued to kill them all, and then, they disappeared.

"I think...I think that's all of them," Rallus said in between pants. "Laura, we're going to get our father. We'll be back. Where is he?"

"The Grey Mare," Laura said quickly.

"Thanks," Antus said and the two walked back to Chorrol and returned with Valus.

"Thank you...for keeping my sons safe," Valus began.

Laura shrugged.

"You're welcome, I suppose," she replied.

Valus then gestured for Laura to follow him inside. That's when he picked up a sword off the dining table.

Upon first glance Laura assumed it was just a regular glass sword. But the glass was a shade of icey blue instead of green - as most glass swords were made from malachite. The handle was made with, what Laura assumed, real silver and moonstones.

"What is that?" Laura asked. "I mean, I know it's a sword, but -"

Valus handed it to Laura. It felt cool to the touch.

"This is Chillrend. This has been in my family a long time," Valus answered. "And now it's yours."

Laura shook her head.

"I can't possibly take this -"

"You can and you will," Valus insisted. "You helped my sons. For that, you are forever in my debt. Besides, I'm an old man. My battles are over. I plan to live out my days on the farm in peace and quiet."

Laura could see there was no getting out of this, so she took the sword.

"Thank you."

It was late, and Laura didn't want to walk back to the Grey Mare so she stayed at Odiil farm, in the spare room upstairs.

It had been a long day. Fighting more Goblins, being given a beautiful sword, and several other things.

It only just occurred to Laura several minutes after she fell asleep that she hadn't found Jauffre yet.

* * *

The next day, Laura said goodbye to the Odiil's and made her way to Weynon Priory, as Valus was kind enough to give her the directions. The Priory stood before her after a few moments. There was a house, a small chapel and a large garden in front of her. A Dunmer man was tending to the garden.

"Hello," Laura said to him.

He acknowledged her with a weak smile and a wave.

"Do you know where Jauffre might be?" Laura asked. "I have business with him. It's rather urgent."

"If he's not sleeping or eating, he'll be fussing with his books, I reckon, over in the Priory House," the man said.

Laura thanked the man - whose name later turned out to be Eronor - and made her way inside. Then, she met Prior Maboral.

"Is there something you need?" He asked her.

Laura coughed.

"I'm looking for Jauffre," she replied. Laura figured it was best to get straight to the point.

Prior Maboral directed her upstairs, almost as if strangers coming and asking for Jauffre was a perfectly normal occurrence. Without a second thought, Laura climbed the steps and saw an older Breton man at a desk reading a book.

This has to be Jauffre, Laura thought. And even if he isn't he probably knows where he is.

"Hello?"

Jauffre looked up from his book and gave her a puzzled look.

"I'm Brother Jauffre," he began. "Is there something you need?"

Laura struggled to find the right words for what she was about to say.

"The Emperor…" Laura said. "The Emperor sent me to find you."

Jauffre scowled.

"Emperor Uriel? Do you know something about his death?"

Laura felt herself gulp.

"I was there when he...passed on," she answered slowly.

"Well, you had better explain yourself," Jauffre's voice was stern. "Now."

_By the Gods, what will I do?_ Laura thought. She couldn't find the words for what she was going to say, so she pulled out the Amulet of Kings from her newly purchased rucksack, placing it on Jauffre's desk.

"He gave me this," Laura told him. "He said I had to bring this to you."

Jauffre was no longer scowling. In fact, this time Laura thought he was amazed.

"You brought me the...the Amulet of Kings," he said.

"He said he had another son," Laura blurted.

Jauffre gave her a grim smile.

"Feel free to pull up a chair, child," he told her. "I have the feeling this discussion will last quite awhile. But first, why don't you tell me your name?"

"It's Laura," Laura said. "So, it began because I was in prison…"

* * *

In the end, Laura ended up telling Jauffre about everything that occurred, skipping most of what happened with Eriama and her leaving. Jauffre seemed satisfied with most of this information anyway.

"As unlikely as your story sound, I believe you," Jauffre said at the end of Laura's tale. "Only the strange destiny of Uriel Septim could have brought your to me carrying the Amulet of Kings."

"'Close shut the jaws of Oblivion'?" Laura asked. "What do you think he meant by that?"

"I don't know," Jauffre admitted. "His meaning is unclear to me as well. But I think the Emperor seemed to perceive some threat from the demonic world of Oblivion. The Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, is one of the lords of Oblivion. But the mortal world is protected from the daedra of Oblivion by magical barriers."

Laura suddenly remembered a story she had learnt growing up of Mehrunes Dagon and Jagar Tharn plotting against Uriel Septim so they could rule Empire themselves. This, however was over forty years ago and before Laura was even born.

But if something similar was happening again...Laura wouldn't be able to live with it.

"Is something wrong, Laura?" Jauffre asked. "You look a bit pale."

Laura shook her head. "No, I'm fine. How can Oblivion threaten us if we're protect by magical barriers?"

"I'm not sure of this, either," Jauffre admitted. "Only the Emperors truly understand the meaning behind the rituals of coronation. The Amulet of Kings is ancient. Saint Alessia herself received it from the gods. It is a holy relic of great power. When an Emperor is crowned, he uses the Amulet to light the Dragonfires at the Temple of the One in the Imperial City.

"With the Emperor dead and no new heir crowned, the Dragonfires in the Temple will be dark, for the first time in centuries," Jauffre said with a dark tone of voice. "It may be that the Dragonfires protected us from a threat that only the Emperor was aware of."

"But there is another heir, isn't there?" Laura asked. "The Emperor said that you would know where he is."

Jauffre nodded.

"I do," he confessed. "Though not many know of his existence. I am one of the few who do. Many years ago, I served as captain of Uriel's bodyguards, the Blades. One night Uriel called me in to his private chambers. A baby boy lay sleeping in a basket. Uriel told me to deliver him somewhere safe. He never told me anything else about the baby, but I knew it was his son. From time to time he would ask about the child's progress.

"Now, it seems that this illegitimate son is the heir to the Septim Throne. If he yet lives."

"Where is he?" Laura asked. "If he's the heir, we need to find him!"

"I agree," Jauffre said. "He needs to be found immediately. His name is Martin. He serves Akatosh in the Chapel in the city of Kvatch, south of here…"

_Kvatch? Damn, damn, damn..._Laura wasn't ready to face her family right now.

"You must go to Kvatch and find him at once. If the enemy is aware of his existence, as seems likely, he is in terrible danger," Jauffre emphasised. "And please, let me know if there's anything you need. My resources here are limited, but I will help in any way I can."

Laura sighed.

"If I'm going, I'm going to need some supplies," Laura said.

Jauffre nodded.

"Theres some stuff in that chest over there," Jauffre told her, nodding towards a wooden chest by the tall bookshelves."Help yourself to anything in there."

Laura opened the chest and found several potion bottles, some leather armor that was in much better condition than her own and some weapons. Not that she would need weapons. She already had Chillrend and Kvatch was a civilized enough town.

* * *

Prior Maboral had heard of what Laura was going to do, so he loaned her his horse. The horse didn't have a name, so Laura christened it "Lucky." If she was going to Kvatch, she would need all the luck she could get.

_I'm going to Kvatch to get the heir - Martin. Get in, find him, get out. No debates, no discussions._

That was when she rode off into the afternoon sun.


	5. Oblivion

**_Chapter four: Oblivion._**

The Great gate closed and then a second one did, leaving only one lesser gate open. Daedra began pouring into Nirn. Eriama took out her bow and managed to hit a couple of Scamps - _nasty things_ - and several more took its place, along with more strange creatures.

Eriama knew what some of them were. Clannfears, Daedroth, Atronachs…

What she wanted to know was what they were doing here.

"Get out of the way!" Eriama heard a voice cry. "Dark Elf, get back to the encampment with everyone else!"

That was when Eriama turned around and saw a group of the town guard giving her quizzical looks.

"I'm not _from_ Kvatch," Eriama replied with a certain amount of impatience. "I was traveling through here on my way to Anvil and then saw all the commotion."

"Well, leave while you can," the captain said. "Otherwise we'll probably all end up dead."

In the back, Eriama heard someone snort.

"Matius, there has to be someway to close the gate!"

Matius turned back to his guards and they all talked in hushed tone of voice. Eriama couldn't hear a word they were saying. When the conversation was over, five guards departed from the group and went into the Oblivion gate.

Eriama narrowed her eyes at Matius.

"Did you seriously let them go in there?"

"I don't think I had much of a choice!" Matius said hotly. "They're right. There must be a way to close it."

"And if there isn't?" Eriama asked. "You just sent five men - five innocent men - to death."

"They realize that," Matius replied in an icy tone.

Eriama glared at the group, and then ran into the fiery gate.

* * *

The first thing Eriama felt when she stepped into the gate was the heat. It was hotter than anywhere else she had been in Cyrodiil.

The second thing Eriama noticed was her surroundings. The skies were red, the ground was burnt charcoal with cracks running down the middle, and surrounding Eriama was lava. She would have to tread carefully around here. One wrong movement - one little slip - and she could die.

In the distance, the four guards were fighting a large number of daedra soldiers known as Dremora. Even though Eriama was far enough away that the guards were very much outnumbered.

Eriama ran, feeling the cracked ground beneath her feet. She ran, but she was too late.

Three of the guards were now dead, and one of them had been captured. He was screaming some words at Eriama, but she didn't fully understand what he was saying or why. All she caught were words about a "sigil tower."

That wasn't going to amount for much.

Eriama then looked up and saw a tower in the distance. Maybe that was what he meant? That tower in the distance?

After several hours of walking, however, Eriama found herself going around in circles and unable to find an entrance to the tower at all. All she found were several more scamps and dead ends. Perhaps it was hopeless. Perhaps she would end up dying here.

As Eriama thought this over, she ended up falling on her back on the dry, hot ground and looking up into a pair of green eyes.

"What in _Oblivion_ are you doing here?" Eriama demanded.

It was Laura.

* * *

"I came here to find the heir," Laura said. "How about you?"

Eriama got up and faced Laura. The heir, whoever he was, was in Kvatch? If that was the case, then he was probably either at the small encampment or dead.

"Fancy that," Eriama snarked. "Just when I wanted to be free of this whole damn affair, it comes back to bite me on the a-"

"Then why are you in here?" Laura asked. "This has nothing to do with you. You could have just walked away."

Eriama rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to try and close the gate," Eriama said.

Before they could say another word, someone called out for help. Laura's head snapped around towards the direction of the shouting and Eriama turned as well.

It was of the Kvatch guards. He had lost his helmet and his dark hair was sticking to his face. He looked tired, but he kept running anyway.

"Thank the Nine," he finally said when he reached them, in between pants. "I never thought I'd see another friendly face at all…"

Laura gave him a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

The guard didn't respond to Laura. Instead, he looked towards Eriama.

"I saw you outside with Matius, didn't I?" he asked.

Eriama nodded.

Laura handed the man a healing potion and he took a few sips of it inbetween incomprensible muttering.

"Taken...they've taken him to the tower!" he said.

Eriama suddenly recalled the Dremora soldiers taking that Imperial to the tower, and him screaming after her.

"I know," she said. "I saw them."

"We've got to save him!" Laura said. "He's trapped up there and -"

"I need to get out of here," The guard said. Laura was going to open her mouth to speak, but Eriama took ahold of her arm and tugged her back.

"Let him go," Eriama said. "He's traumatized enough. You should go too."

Laura scowled.

"Are you kidding me? No way! I'm helping to close this gate and that's final."

This girl has a one track mind, Eriama thought.

"Then let's go," Eriama said with an impatient voice. "We have a long way to go."

A few feet upwards, there was a bunch of Scamps. Laura unsheathed her sword and that was a surprise to Eriama. The last time she'd seen the woman she had only a rusty dagger she had found in the Lost Catacombs. This sword was looked as if it was made of ice and a sudden chill filled the area around them as the sword was swung. The Scamps shivered, then fell to the ground. Eriama supposed that they had frozen to death.

"Where did you get that sword?" Eriama asked.

Laura sheathed it. "I did some work in Chorrol, I suppose you could say. This was a gift."

"Pretty extravagant gift," Eriama observed.

Laura scowled.

"Keep that thing around," Eriam told her. "I think we're going to need it."

* * *

The two eventually made it to the tower, and it seemed much hotter in there than it was outside. There were several doorways and staircases until they eventually made it to another room. There the guard - Menien, Eriama later learnt his name was - trapped in a metal cage. Eriama looked around for any Dremora. There weren't any.

"Hello?" Eriama looked for anything nearby, perhaps a lockpick, to open the door. Menien scowled.

"Quickly, quickly! There's no time! You must get to the top of the large tower. The Sigil Keep, they call it. That's what keeps the Oblivion Gate open!" Menien emphasized.

"But what about you?" Laura asked.

Menien gave her a grim smile.

"Don't worry about me! Find the Sigil Stone. Remove it, and the Gate will close! Hurry! The Keeper has the key- you must get the key!"

Eriama looked around.

"But there is no key!"

"ERIAMA! LOOK OUT!"

Suddenly, there was a loud bang. A daedric mace banged into the metal cage holding Menien, but noone was hurt. Eriama turned around and there was a Dremora looking at her with a certain amount of anger and disgust.

_"You should not be here, mortal!"_ his voice sounded deep, yet loud enough to shake the room. _"Your blood is forfeit, your flesh is mine!"_

Eriama ducked as the Dremora attempted to hit her with the mace again, and rolled across the room. Laura had her bow, and threw it to her. Eriama then started using her archery skills to the best of her abilities. The Dremora was weakened, but none of these arrows seemed to kill him. He healed too quickly.

"Laura, that sword!" Eriama cried. "Use that damn sword of yours and stab him!"

Laura rushed towards the Dremora, but in the process he whacked Eriama's left arm. It felt broken. It probably was too.

The awful pain, however, did not stop Eriama from punching him right in the face with her unbroken arm right before Laura stabbed him in the back. The Dremora's blood spilled onto the floor and the two girls faced each other.

"Does he have a key?" Eriama asked.

Laura grabbed a piece of metal that had fallen beside him.

"I think this is it. Now let's go!"

* * *

The two girls found their way into the Sigillum Sanguis. A bright, blinding light was in the middle of the room. Eriama tried her best not to stare at it.

"We need to get that stone," Laura said. "Now come on."

Laura had spoken a bit too loudly, perhaps because after she said these words several Dremora soldiers and mages started surrounding them.

"Dammit," Laura muttered.

"I thought you were a thief," Eriama muttered. "Surely you must know to keep your voice down when around enemies."

Laura scowled.

"I was never really trained for combat - not like this," she explained. "Now hurry! I'll hold them off."

Eriama ran up the ramps, trying her best to keep her balance with only one working arm. At some point, she tripped and fell, but managed to pull herself up again and grab the stone.

The sigil stone felt hot in her hands. In fact, if felt as if it would burn her fingers off, if not a whole hand. Eriama held into it anyway.

Suddenly, bright light filled the room. It blinded Eriama and she could no longer see, but she felt someone grab onto her.

Laura.

All they could do now was wait for what to come.


	6. For Kvatch

**_Chapter five: For Kvatch._**

The bright light began to fade and Laura suddenly found herself back in Tamriel, clutching Eriama's body. Around her were the figures of the Kvatch guard. Savlian Matius looked absolutely dumbstuck.

"You...you closed the gate?"

Laura grinned.

"Hate to tell you, captain," Laura said, "but you're pointing out the obvious."

The rest of the town guard laughed.

"We both closed the gate, yes," Laura said. "Now, how about heading back to camp? I think we should all see the healer."

More like Eriama should see the healer, Laura thought. The weight of Eriama's body against her own was starting to feel really heavy - and Eriama was very slim and small, even for a Dunmer. Laura supposed she'd have to be, given that she was a murderer.

_Ugh!_ Laura was thinking about that again. She had been with an _assassin_ all through her time in Oblivion! Maybe having her healed wasn't the best thing?

But then again, Eriama had helped her plenty. It wouldn't be right to leave her.

"Move it, Haynori," Eriama said to her. "We're not going to suddenly appear back at the Encampment at this rate."

"Shut up," Laura snarled.

Laura thought she was imagining it, but she could have sworn on the Nine Divines she saw laughter lines appear on Eriama's face.

* * *

Over the next two hours, Laura remained at the encampment with the remaining citizens of Kvatch, having her minor injuries healed and waiting for Eriama. After awhile, Eriama emerged from one of the tents looking perfectly refreshed and as healthy as she had looked before her broken arm. Eriama held her daedric bow under her arm.

"So, what'll you do now?" the elf asked her. "Find the lost Septim heir?"

Laura scowled. She couldn't help it.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Laura replied. "I was asked to do it, after all."

Laura suddenly thought of something. Her family. They had been living here in Kvatch when she ran away without a penny to her name, and she knew nothing of what happened. Laura suddenly felt her stomach tie up in knots. She didn't want to feel guilty, but yet she did. It just wasn't right.

"Something wrong, Haynori?" Eriama asked. "Scamp got your tongue?"

"No!" Laura snapped.

Eriama rolled her eyes.

"What were you doing here anyway?" Laura asked. "I've heard about what…" Laura couldn't bring up the Dark Brotherhood in the middle of these people. They were traumatized enough. "...your organization does. Were you here to murder someone?"

"Yes, I was here to murder a man who had been staring longingly at someone else's wife," Eriama replied casually.

"Were you?"

"No, I wasn't," Eriama sat down on the grass and began sharpening a steel dagger she had acquired while they were at camp. "And even if I was, I wouldn't say it like that, would I? I was actually passing through on my way to Anvil. Was going to see if I could leave the Province."

"Why?"

"None of your business," Eriama said sharply. As Eriama said those words, Laura thought she heard a bit of emotion in her voice.

Before another word was said, however, Captain Matius approached them.

"I need you two to come with us," he said by way of greeting.

"Hello, Matius," Eriama replied.

Laura glanced at the captain quickly. "Us? Why?"

"You closed the gate, didn't you? Matius was a little impatient now. "This is our chance to launch a counterattack. Seriously," he glanced at both Laura and Eriama. "You both seem to have a lot more combat experience than any of these men.

Eriama shrugged. "Alright, fine. But as soon as we're done here, I'm out."

Laura gave Eriama a nervous smile. She would up and leave as soon as Kvatch was saved...this would be the second time the elf left Laura. Laura supposed she should be glad but she wasn't.

Reluctantly, she followed Matius and Eriama to the gates of a now burned down city.

* * *

"FOR KVATCH!"

Those words still rang in Laura's ears as they all went into the city, and encountered more Scamps and Dremora.

_Hit. Duck. Hit. Duck._ Laura kept trying to avoid the fire the Scamps were shooting at her, and used Chillrend on them a few times.

Eriama was right, they ended up freezing to death.

Behind her, several archers were being lead by Eriama, shooting the Dremora away from an unsuspecting guard. The other guards were using swords to fight back the daedric hordes. It was a bloodbath, and Laura was already exhausted.

When they all lay dead, the guards cheered their victory.

"We wiped the bastards out!" Matius cried.

Laura was relieved.

"It's safe to pull those people out of the chapel now," Matius told them with a nod. "We should get moving."

* * *

The chapel was filled with people. Apparently a lot of Kvatch's citizen's escaped safely, but were scared. Families huddled together, not wanting to be separated. Children either slept or clung to their parent's safety. Laura couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for them.

One of the guards, Tierra, began going into a deep conversation about what had happened and that Brother Martin had lead them to safety.

Wait, Brother Martin?

"Where is Martin?" Laura asked. "I came to Kvatch because I have business with him. It's rather important."

Tierra pointed to the far end of the Chapel, where a man wearing blue priest's robes stood by the altar of the Nine.

The man had dark brown hair and (once Laura managed to get a better look at him) blue eyes not unlike those of his father's. They were, however, filled with a certain amount of warmth - something Uriel Septim hadn't possessed.

His features looked quite a bit like Uriel's, though. Laura then knew, without a doubt, the man standing there was Uriel's son.

"What are you doing?" Eriama snapped.

At those words, Laura turned around. The elven woman had a hand on her hip.

"I was going to talk to the heir," Laura replied.

"We - you - have obligations," Eriama reminded her. "You can talk to him later, when it's safe. He'll be at the camp."

Reluctantly, Laura followed Eriama outside with the rest of the Guards.

* * *

More Daedra surrounded the area around the castle, much to Laura's dismay. She was already exhausted enough. When they lay dead across the charcoal floor, she sat down against the wall catching her breath and nursing her wounds.

Laura wasn't used to this.

Something made Matius bang a fist against the wall and say a string Tamrielic swear words. Laura gave him a nervous glance.

"Savlian, is everything alright?" one of the guards asked.

He didn't answer, just sighed.

"Dammit, this is no good!" he exclaimed. "The gates are locked, and the only way to open them is from within the gatehouse."

Laura shook her head. Surely someone could have reminded him?

"We can't open that gate from out here. The only mechanism for raising it is inside the gatehouse. And the only way to get into the gatehouse now would be through the passage at the North Guard House. But that's always kept locked," Maius muttered the plans under his breath.

"Maybe we could try lockpicking?" Eriama suggested.

"We need a _key,"_ Matius emphasized. None too happy with the suggestion, Laura thought.

"Someone hurry and find Berich Inian," Matius barked. "He should be back in the Chapel, and should still have the key to the Guard House. Once you've got it, get to the Guard House, find the passage, and open that gate. Then we can get inside the castle and secure it."

Eriama rushed off towards the Chapel, leaving Laura and the other guards behind. Within the next few minutes, the gates opened and they all rushed into the castle.

It was even more of a bloodbath than the first battle with the daedra. Laura ended up with lots of wounds and scratches. They'd probably leave permanent scars.

Eriama was no where to be seen, and Laura began to worry what might have happened to her. Could she have died?

Luckily, she was in sight again when they entered the castle, rushing through one of the doors on the balcony while everyone else fought the daedra.

_Gods, I hope she knows what she's doing,_ Laura thought.

* * *

The battle was over. Eriama handed Savlian Matius Count Goldwine's ring and he gave them two Kvatch circass's. They were enchanted.

Then, they all left for the encampment, hoping to get some sleep.

But Laura couldn't sleep.

And, she gathered from the sounds of the tent opening, and footsteps, that Eriama couldn't either.


	7. Rememberance

**A/N: If you've read Nerevarine Rising, then you'll recognize Ulina, Eriama's sister and some of the flashback scene. If you haven't it doesn't matter. Oh, and some ideologically sensitive material pertaining to murder and hinted rape is in this chapter. You've been warned.**

* * *

**_Chapter six: Remembrance._**

Eriama began walking towards the small stream down the hill and sat down on the grass, kicking her boots off and letting her feet fall into the water.

Eriama couldn't sleep, even though she was thoroughly exhausted. Her arm still ached, even though it had been healed. She decided to do her best to block out the pain and focus on the surrounding around her.

The area was filled with yellow grass and Aloe plants. The stream had several lily pads and reed mace and Eriama could hear frogs ribbiting.

It was the kind of place Ulina would have liked.

_Ulina,_ Eriama thought bitterly. _After all I've done, I'm fairly certain you wouldn't be proud me at all. You were the goody two shoes. By the Gods, you didn't deserve to go to jail!_

"Hey."

Eriama turned around and almost went to grab her bow until she suddenly realized that the voice belonged to Laura. Only Laura.

"Can't sleep?" The Imperial woman asked her.

"Not really," Eriama admitted.

"So happens neither can I," Laura said. "Mind if I join you?"

Eriama didn't say anything so Laura sat down.

"Funny how this happened, isn't it?" Laura asked. "Well, not really that funny but -"

"I know what you mean," Eriama assured her. And she did know what Laura meant. "It's not very funny in the sense that's laughable. Just...why would daedra want to invade Kvatch?"

Even in the darkness, Eriama could see Laura's face. It was some kind of knowing about it.  
"I think I know," Laura told her. "Do you remember what the Emperor said? 'Close shut the jaws of Oblivion' or whatever…"

Eriama raised her eyebrows.

"He told me we had to find the heir - Martin," Laura explained. "Martin was here in Kvatch. I think _that's_ why the gate opened."

For a few seconds, there was a bout of silence, except for the sounds of crickets chirping and frogs jumping in the stream.

"Really?" Eriama asked. "Is that what you think?"

Laura shrugged. "What do I know? I was just a thief who was living under piss-poor standards in the Imperial City until this all happened. What do I know? I just ran away from home when I was sixteen and never bothered to educate myself properly, and therefore, I know nothing."

Eriama felt her eyes widen.

"You ran away from home? Why would you want to run away from Kvatch? It was a nice place before...before this all happened."

Kvatch was a city for the rich with plenty of money and they tended to live comfortably there. Eriama found it hard to understand why anyone would want to run away to become a thief.

"Oh, you're curious now?" Laura gave a slight nervous chuckle. "Well, I'll tell you.

"My family lived in Anvil at first because my father was a sailor, but he had an accident and my sister got sick and died as well. My mother remarried this Nordic guy. Hulfgar," Laura said these words bitterly. "I was about twelve at the time. Anyway, she decided that along with her new husband and his daughter Haema, we were going to move to Kvatch. I hated it there."

Eriama saw that Laura was shaking now.

"There has to be a reason why you ran away though," Eriama said. "I mean, I wouldn't have left home willingly when I was younger."

Laura looked at Eriama sadly.  
"That stepfather of mine," Laura said. "He did some pretty horrible things to me. Mother never believed a word. So I ran away as far as my money would carry me. I didn't care that I was poor or had to steal to survive. I was just happy to be away from them.

"So that's my story," Laura concluded. "How about yours?"

"What?"

"I told you about me," Laura said. "Maybe I could know a little - just a little - about you? Not like either of us can sleep anyway."

"Oh," Eriama thought. Then she remembered back to when she was younger.

* * *

_Sun's Height 28th, 3E 427._

Eriama sat by the windowsill of her bedroom, staring down at the life below her in the Market District. She never wanted to leave her small apartment above the shops here. This was where she grew up and this was what she was familiar with. Her father, Dranen, promised to get them a real house in the Elven Gardens one day, but Eriama would have to leave behind all familiarity.

"Eriama."

Eriama turned around and saw her young, redheaded sister Ulina come in with a basket full of clothes. Eriama always wondered about Ulina's red hair. She and her father had black hair - very common for Dunmer - and supposedly their mother had it as well. Ulina was different. Serethi had brown hair.

"Is something wrong?" Eriama asked.

"Yes," Ulina replied in a grim tone of voice. "Serethi thinks you took some of the gold again -"

"I never took it the first time!" Eriama said hotly.

"She thinks you did," Ulina said airily. "She's in the office."

Eriama scoffed and then went out of the room and into the one across the hall, where their formidable stepmother sat.

"Where's the gold?" she asked. "It's been missing for the past two days and considering what happened last time-"

"-It never happened!" Eriama yelled.

"Don't take that tone with me, young lady!" Serethi's shrilled. "Gods, I should never expect better from you. I can't believe I agreed to this with your father...staying here with you and that wretched..._sister_ of yours -"

A sudden torrent of anger rushed through Eriama, and she felt heat rush to her face.

"Serethi," Eriama said warningly, "don't talk about my family that way."

Eriama didn't have the proper training in Destruction magic. Her father had forbidden it. She had tried to teach herself, but she couldn't figure out how to not spout fireballs when she was angry.

Serethi didn't know this, though.

"No," Serethi snapped. "I'll talk however I damn well please. You're all ungrateful for what I've done for you. You've all -"

"SHUT UP!" Eriama screamed.

"You have no idea what I've done for you, Eriama," Serethi said slowly.

Too late. Fire shot out of Eriama's hand and hit Serethi's heart, causing her to drop dead.  
She didn't mean to do that. No. She didn't. Serethi was being rude, but this wasn't…

Eriama didn't know what to do. She just stood there, frozen to the spot and the door burst open.

It was her father. Her father stared at the body and at her.

"Father, I…"

But Eriama couldn't find the words to explain what had happened.

"What did you do?" Dranen demanded.

"She was talking about Ulina. She kept saying things that weren't true! I didn't mean to kill her...I swear."

And Eriama didn't mean to kill Serethi. It was an accident.

Before long, her sister entered the room and put her arms around her.

"I'll figure out a way to make this right, Eriama," she promised, letting Eriama's tears soak into the clothes.

"No."

Dranen and Ulina exchanged looks.

"Ulina, stay out of this."

Ulina turned back to Eriama.

"Father, call the guards if you want," Ulina said defiantly.

That was when Dranen left the room.

"You knew magic the whole time?" Ulina asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"How could I?" Eriama looked up. "I thought you'd tell Father."

Dranen returned then, with two guards and Phillida. _Phillida._ He was one of the most important guards in the city.

"Where's the murderer?" Phillida demanded.

Eriama glanced at the guard and was about to confess it was here, ready for a life in prison but then Ulina stepped up.

"I did it," she said. "Eriama's innocent, I swear."

Phillida looked shocked.

"Now take me away and spare her," Ulina ordered.

Eriama blinked. _No, Ulina. No, no, no! You're the good one. This isn't something you deserve!_

The Guards took Ulina away and Eriama fought to hold back her tears.

"Don't even try, I know it was you," Dranen said. "And you know that you were forbidden to use magic outside of Restoration. Why? Why did you disobey me?"

Eriama didn't answer. It felt as if some magical force had sewn her lips shut.  
"I need you to get out of this house," Dranen told her. "You can take whatever you like with you. Just leave. And don't come back."

The only thing Eriama ended up taking with her was the bow that belonged to her mother and the clothes on her back.

She wandered the streets of the Imperial City for ages, until she eventually found an alleyway, looking for any place to sleep.

"Well, look what we have here."

A whisper caused a very tired and lost Eriama to reawaken.

"Lost are we?"

The man in front of her was wearing tattered clothes and smelled as if her had been drinking too much skooma. He was also holding a knife.

"No, no," Eriama held up her bow. "Get away!"

He did not. He just kept following her for every step Eriama took backwards. He then grabbed ahold of her hair and spin her around. That was when she grabbed the knife he dropped and stabbed him.

This time she felt no remorse.

"Troubled sleep?"

Eriama suddenly bolted awake and saw a dark figure leaning up against the stone wall in front of her.

"Unusual for a murderer," the man observed.

Eriama grabbed the knife beside her.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want?"

The man didn't seem worried by her suddenly pulling out a dagger. In fact, he just smirked.

"My dear," he said. "I'm only here to offer you an invitation into my unique family."

Eriama lowered the dagger.

"Who are you?"

"Lucien Lachance," the man told her. "And I know for a fact that you are Eriama Therayn."

* * *

For the first time in six years, Eriama told her story in full detail to a non-Dark Brotherhood member. She had been fearing the moment she might have to, and Laura didn't seem angry with her at all.

"I can understand," Laura said finally.

"You're...you're not judging me. Why not?"

"Because that was your past and has nothing to do with now," Laura replied with a dismissive voice. "Besides, you saved my ass too many time in that Oblivion gate for me to judge you now."

Eriama smiled.

For some reason, venting made her feel a bit better.


	8. Martin

**A/N: You probably already know that we get to meet Martin in this chapter just from seeing the title.**

**BTW, this will probably be split into two installments. The second one will probably be called "Champions - Part two" or something along those lines.**

**Onwards!**

* * *

**_Chapter seven: Martin._**

The next morning, Laura awoke late. It wasn't much of a surprise, considering how little sleep she had the night before because she was chatting with Eriama.

The first thing Laura thought about was breakfast. She was going to need to some food if she was going to talk to Martin. After all, convincing him of something she wasn't entirely sure of herself was a big deal.

Outside the tent, the survivors from Kvatch were sitting around what used to be a fire. Eriama was among them, munching on an apple. Laura went and sat down beside her.

Laura thought about what had happened to Eriama late last night. No decent parent she knew of would throw their child out onto the streets. Laura's mother hadn't thrown her out, but given the argument they had before Laura's departure, she may as well have.

But Eriama seemed fine.

"Awake, are you?" she asked with a smirk. "You sleep like the dead."

"You would too if you had been fighting daedra all damn day -"

"Fair point," Eriama responded before taking another bite into her apple.

"So, do you where to get any food around here?" Laura asked, nodding towards the apple in Eriama's hand. Eriama pointed towards an apple tree just a bit down the hill.

"That's all they have to eat right now, though some help is going to arrive and evacuate them all later," Eriama said. "The guards brought a bunch back today. Help yourself."

Laura grabbed an apple from the basket a few feet away from them. It was red and tasted very sweet.

"You alright, Haynori?" Eriama asked. "You seem a little on edge."

Laura was on edge, but she didn't care to admit it right now. That was the last thing she needed.

"Where's Martin?" Laura asked.

Eriama pointed to a man wearing blue priest's robes sitting at the other side of camp, talking to an anxious mother who was holding her twin babies tightly to her chest.  
Without a second thought, Laura got up and walked over to him. The mother scowled at her and walked away towards the another group of Kvatch escapees, leaving Laura and Martin alone.

"I heard about how you and that Dunmer woman helped the Guard drive the daedra back. Well done," he gave her a smile as he said those words.

Now that Martin could see him up close, she could see his blue eyes full of warmth. Right now he gave her a curious look, but she still knew his eyes were filled with warmth.

Laura always had a weakness for blue eyes.

It took her a great deal of reluctance to tear away from them.

"I actually came to Kvatch because I needed to see you," Laura told him. "You're in danger."

Martin narrowed his eyes.

"Danger, you say?" There was no mistaking the curt tone in his voice. Laura feared that something like this would happen. "You came here to tell me this? Explain yourself or leave me alone. There are many others here who actually need your help."

Laura suddenly tried to come up with some way of telling the story without being thought of as insane.

"Look, I know this will sound...really strange," Laura began.

Martin gave a sarcastic laugh.

"Daedra invaded my city last night. I don't think anything is going to be stranger than that," he told her.

Laura sighed.

"The Emperor sent me to find you," Laura finally said. She then took in Martin's dumbfounded expression.

"The _Emperor_ is dead," Martin replied, stressing on the word Emperor. "Who are you? What do you really want with me?"

Laura shook her head. _Gods, why did the send me to do this? Why couldn't it have been someone more...qualified!_

"I'm Laura," Laura said quickly. "You are Martin the priest, right?"

"Yes. I'm a priest," Martin replied sourly. "Do you need a priest? I don't think I'll be much help to you. I'm having trouble understanding the gods myself right now. If all this is part of a divine plan, I'm not sure I want to have anything to do with it."

Martin was now giving her a curious look. He seemed interested in what she had to say now, even if he didn't seemed pleased about what was coming out of her mouth. _My big mouth,_ Laura thought resentfully.

"Look, I really need your help," Laura kept pushing on. "In fact, I think the whole Empire needs your help -"

"If you came to me for help, you're more of a fool than you look," Martin sounded angry now. "Look around. What good is a priest?"

Laura did not want to look around her.

"That's not why we need your help," Laura replied, letting a certain amount of ice creep into her voice. "If you'd just let me finish, I'd tell you."

Martin didn't say anything, but gave her the indication to continue by holding up his hand and then putting it back down again. Laura smiled slightly but then frowned at the aspect of dropping the news on Martin's head.

"You're the Emperor's son."

There! She'd said it. Laura then took a few moments trying to figure out what Martin thought about the whole thing. He looked puzzled.

"Emperor Uriel Septim? You think the _Emperor_ is my father?" Martin asked. Laura nodded. "No, you must have the wrong man. I am a priest of Akatosh. My father was a farmer..."

_I'm not,_ Laura thought. _I see him in you._ Laura wanted badly to say this, but she didn't. She didn't know Martin well enough and saying that was a given to freak him out.

Instead, she said, "the daedra came here for you, Martin" in a very solemn voice.

Martin now had a frightened expression on his face.

"An entire city destroyed to get at me? Why? ... Because I'm the Emperor's son?"

He still seemed skeptical. Laura couldn't help but scowl at this.

"Why would I lie to you?" Laura asked. "I mean, I was just told to deliver this message and fetch you. I don't really know much."

"'Fetch me'?" for the first time since meeting Martin, Laura saw him smile. Well, it was more of a smirk. But still.

"Do you still think I'm lying?" Laura demanded.

"I don't know," Martin admitted. "It's strange... I think you might actually be telling the truth."

They exchanged looks. Just from the expression, Laura could tell that Martin was confused and angry. With good reason.

"What does this mean? What do you want from me?" Martin finally asked her.

"I just need you to come with me to Weynon Priory," Laura told him. "The Grandmaster of the Blades - Jauffre - probably had a better way of explaining everything to you."

"You destroyed the Oblivion Gate, they say. You gave them hope. You helped them drive the daedra back," Martin replied.

_I wasn't alone,_ Laura thought. She didn't say this, though.

"Yes. I'll come with you to Weynon Priory and hear what Jauffre has to say," Martin finished.

Laura smiled. "Just give me a couple of hours to get ready."

* * *

The Kvatch survivors gave Laura a number of useful supplies - including two tents - for the journey. Eriama watch Laura pack her supplies viciously into a large rucksack.

"So, I guess this is goodbye?" Eriama asked. "Where is Weynon Priory, anyway?"

"Near Chorrol," Laura replied. "I'm taking Martin there, and then I don't know what I'm going to do."

Eriama looked deep in thought for a moment.

"Maybe I'll go with you," Eriama said, "that is, if you don't mind. I heard that in Chorrol, you can buy passages to Skyrim and Hammerfell."

"Why not?" Laura said. "Three pairs of eyes is always better than two."

So Eriama traveled with Martin and Laura along the road. Laura was happy for more companionship, even if was only going to be for a short while.

* * *

Skingrad wasn't that far from Kvatch, and several of Kvatch's survivors had already moved there anyway. Laura decided the best thing to do was to find a room at one of the inns.

The West Weald Inn was packed, so Laura and Eriama went to the Two Sisters Lodge. It wasn't as full. In fact, the only one there other than them was a young Altmer girl by the name of Tinaralia, and she wasn't even staying the night.

After eating, Eriama went to one of the two bedrooms they had payed for, saying she was exhausted and needed rest. Laura wanted to rest too, but she also wanted to get to know Martin.

So the two of them sat by the fire while Eriama was upstairs resting.

"...I should have known I was the Emperor's son," Martin said over drinks of tea. "Or at least not really my father's son. We didn't actually look that much alike."

"What about your mother?" Laura asked. Martin had only mentioned his father, but then again they only really knew each other for a few hours.

Martin sighed.

"My mother died several years ago," Martin replied. "She was ill."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Laura said at once. _What else am I supposed to say!?_ Given the tone of her voice, she expected Martin to scowl at her. Most people did when she tried to sympathize with them Instead, she saw a flicker of a smile on his face.

"Don't be," Martin responded, "it wasn't your fault. Things happen. What about you, though?"

Laura felt herself shake a little.

"My family?" Laura asked. "It's...complicated."

Laura didn't like to talk to her family. How could she tell him about her father and Fennia's death? How could she tell him about her selfish mother and step-sister and her abusive stepfather? How could she tell him she had run away and became a thief?

"I..I can't talk about me right now," Laura said. "I've...I've done some things I'm not very proud of."

Martin nodded.

"Ah. I see. _That_ I can understand."

Laura was shocked. Martin was a priest! A priest of Akatosh! How could he begin to understand half of it?

"Understand?" Laura asked.

She and Martin exchanged looks.

"I'd rather not talk about _that_ either," he told her.

It was getting late, so Laura went upstairs to her and Eriama's rented room. Eriama was fast asleep, lying on her side towards the wall. She was quiet for someone fast asleep. Laura was once told by Jaret that she snored rather loudly, and Laura's response was to slap him across the face.

_Jaret,_ Laura thought. She hadn't thought much about the Imperial City and her life back there since she got dragged into this mess. Jaret had been a distraction for her while she was living there. Now, she sort of missed him and everything back on the Waterfront.  
She missed the simple life.

Laura climbed into bed and then fell into deep sleep.

* * *

On the way out of Skingrad the next day, Laura couldn't help but feel bad. Martin was walking a little further ahead of them, and he wasn't talking to either of them.

Martin was angry, but Laura couldn't find the words to console him. She offered to let him ride Lucky, but Martin refused. At that moment, no one was riding Lucky. Lucky just walked alongside them holding their belongings.

Soon, they were halfway to Chorrol. They would probably reach there the next day.

There were no inns nearby, so they set up camp in a grassy area near the edge of the Great Forest. Eriama and Laura took the largest tent (despite the fact that Martin was offered the larger one), and Martin took the smaller one across from them. Laura was tired from walking that great distance throughout the day, so she fell right asleep.

Late in the night however, Laura awoke to hear the sounds of flames crackling and she swore she heard an unpleasant screech.

_Scamps._

Laura got up, grabbed Chillrend and ran out of the tent as fast as she could.

Another Oblivion Gate had opened.

Laura ran into it, and took in the sights of Oblivion again. It wasn't much different from the gate she and Eriama closed in Kvatch. There were still Daedra roaming around and the sea of lava was still surrounding her, but this time everything seemed much more dangerous.

Two Dremora war-lords turned and saw her in the distance and began to run towards her with giant longswords. Laura ducked before one of them could impale her, and swung Chillrend at them a few times. One Dremora dropped onto his back and the other lost an eye.

"That'll teach you to cross me," Laura said.

Only several more Dremora - and their scamps - replaced them.

"Oh, by the Nine fu-"

Laura cut herself off after she realized they were now surrounding her, outnumbering her by goodness knows how many to one. Laura muttered several Tamrielic swear words under her breath and then swung her sword again.

Suddenly, a wave of cold air passed through the air and several Dremora war-lords died. They all lay on their backs, splayed like eagles. Laura turned around, meaning to thank her savior until she found out who it was.

_Martin._

* * *

Laura was seething with rage.

"What in the everliving love of all the Divines are you doing here?" she yelled. If he had gotten himself killed while in this hell-spawned place, his rescue would have been for nothing!

"I came to help you," Martin replied casually, as if following her into a realm of Oblivion was a completely trivial thing to do. Laura clenched her fists.

_Screw the Daedra. I may as well kill him my goddamn self._

"Well, go back," Laura ordered. "I can't risk you getting killed."

Martin scowled.

"I'm afraid you can't order me around, Laura," was Martin's response. "This is Mehrunes Dagon's realm. The Deadlands. I'm not going to let you go gallivanting around on your own."

Laura saw that there was going to be no letting him go at this point.

"Fine," Laura snarled. "But you had better remain by my side. If there's to be any death, we're to die together. That way, things won't seem so bad."

And so Laura stalked to the Sigil Tower with Martin, the two remaining close together but not saying anything to each other. Mostly because Laura was too angry to say anything to him.

_How dare he?_ She thought angrily. _How dare he act that way? I was sent to save his life as he knows full well. Now he's deliberately risking his life...it's just so...so..._

They crept through the tower together, still in silence but this time for good reason. Mostly because of the Dremora that occupied the tower with their deadly maces and swords. The Sigilum Sangis wasn't too far off this time, and Laura intended to grab the stone and be on their way.

This however, wasn't to be case.

"LAURA! BEHIND YOU!"

Laura turned around and saw several Scamps surrounding her, barring their sharp teeth and one of them was readying a fireball. Laura ducked and ran up the ramps towards the Sigil Stone. Several Dremora mages started summoning more Scamps ("oh, great," Laura snapped) and readying their maces. Laura ran past them all, passing Martin and grabbing on his arm roughly along the way, before taking the Sigil Stone in her hands.

They had burnt Eriama's hands, so Laura wore chainmail gauntlets and the stone only slightly warmed her fingers. Then, she clutched onto Martin, not intending on letting him go.

* * *

The gate closed behind them, and Laura fell on top of Martin. She felt heat rise to her chest and broke away quickly.

"You have a scratch on your cheek, by the way," Martin told her.

Laura nodded.

"That's not the worst thing that's happened to me," Laura replied cooly. "In fact -"

All of a sudden, the figure of Eriama was striding towards them angrily.

"Just where have you been?" Eriama snapped. "There was a couple of Scamps near the camp, and I thought…"

"We closed an Oblivion Gate," Laura replied.

"'We'?" Eriama echoed. "You took him with you?"

Martin got up, brushing some of the dirt off his robe.

"No, I followed her," Martin replied. "No one should have to go and close those gates alone."

Eriama snorted in disgust.

"Come on," she said. "You two need to get to Weynon Priory as soon as possible, and I...I need to get out of here."


	9. Ambush

**A/N: This chapter is quite short, but I think it's OK anyway. **

* * *

**_Chapter eight: Ambush._**

Weynon Priory was only a few minutes walk from where they were and Eriama was starting to feel anxious. Would she be able to say goodbye as soon as they arrived in front of the building? Or would she have to meet Jauffre as well? Either way, if Laura said anything at all about her and her previous life, it wouldn't go down well.

Then, just as they started approaching a large stone house, Laura said they had arrived. Weynon Priory was beautiful place. Though something seemed not quite right to Eriama. She had a terrible feeling in her gut that told her something bad was going to happen and that was soon.

"Are you sure we're at the right place?" Eriama couldn't help but ask.

Laura opened her map.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure," Laura said.

Just then, a Dunmer man was running towards them like Oblivion was chasing him. When he finally got there, he looked very much out of breath.

"Help," he said. "Laura, is it? You must help us!"

"Whoa," Laura and Martin both exchanged looks. Eriama thought they both looked rather confused and she couldn't blame them. She was very confused herself.

"What happened?" Laura asked.

The Dunmer looked behind them anxiously, as if checking that no one had followed them before he started to speak.

"They're killing everyone at Weynon Priory!" He said.

"Who?" Laura asked.

"I don't know!" he responded hysterically. "I think they're right behind me! Prior Maborel is dead! I was in the sheepfold when they attacked. I heard the Prior talking to someone. Looked around the corner to see who it was. They looked like travellers, ordinary. Suddenly weapons appeared in their hands and they cut the Prior down before he could move! They saw me watching and I ran."

"Where's Jauffre?" Laura asked.

The Dunmer shifted his eyes. "I think he's in the chapel praying. You must help us!"  
Laura got off her horse and ran towards the priory. Eriama sighed. She had been taught by her Dark Brotherhood members never to run headlong into danger.

"Stay here," Eriama told Martin. "I think that would be for the best."

Then, she crept around the corner of the house and saw a glimpse of the people who Laura was fighting.

They were assassins. The same kind of assassins that were in the Imperial Sanctum.

The same kind of assassin that had killed the Emperor…

Eriama readied her bow and began aiming for one of the assassin's heads. She wouldn't be able to get a clear shot of his heart where she was.

Just as she shot the assassin, an ice storm hit the other one. A large chunk of ice hit the assassin's stomach and blood spilled onto the floor.

Eriama got out from behind the bushes and heard the sounds of Laura arguing with Martin.

"...are you always so goddamn reckless?" she yelled. Eriama agreed silently. She had told Martin to stay put after all.

"Aren't you supposed to be looking for Jeffrey -?" Eriama began.

"Jauffre," Laura corrected. "And you're right. He's in the chapel You stay here," Laura said viciously to Martin. She then walked into the chapel, leaving Eriama with Martin.

"Laura was right you know," Eriama couldn't help but say. And that was something, given that through most of the journey. "You should have stayed back. I told you to do that anyway."

Martin shrugged.

"I can't just sit by and do nothing," was his response. "I know Laura is trying to do the right thing, but it still doesn't feel right."

A few moments later, Laura emerged from the Chapel with an older, balding Breton man who was holding a dai-Katana in his hands. It didn't take long for Eriama to guess he was Jauffre.

"This must be Martin," he said, his eyes landing on Martin who was standing beside Eriama. "And who's this?"

Eriama blanched, not knowing exactly how to introduce herself to the Grandmaster of the Blades.

"This is Eriama Therayn," Laura began. "She's been a great help in Kvatch and is a dear friend of mine."

That was it. No mention of her criminal past, not even any mention of prison. And a dear friend, to boot. Eriama didn't deserve such kindness. No one like her did.

"I see," Jauffre replied. There was a flicker of something in his eyes that Eriama couldn't quite place, and then turned away. "Let's all move to the house and pray the the amulet is still safe."

"Yes," Laura said. "Let's."

Jauffre then went towards the large house not too far from them, with Laura, Martin and Eriama trailing behind him. When they went inside, Jauffre ordered them to stay downstairs while he went up to check.

"Everything is not going according to plan, is it?" Martin asked, his voice sour.

"Gee, ya think?" was Laura's sarcastic reply. Eriama shook her head. If everything was as bad as she thought it was, then it was no time to joke. Before Eriama could tell Laura so, there was a panicked cry from upstairs.

"Is something wrong?" Eriama asked. "Jauffre!"

Jauffre headed downstairs.

"They've taken it!" He exclaimed. "The Amulet of Kings if gone!"

* * *

"Are...are you sure?" Laura asked, her voice unusually shrill.

"Positive," Jauffre responded grimly. "The enemy has defeated us at every turn!"

Eriama shook her head.

"Laura brought Martin back," she told him. "Wasn't the whole goal to insure his safety?"

Jauffre nodded.

"So it has not all gone against us. Thank Talos for that! We gained Uriel's heir, and lost the Amulet of Kings," Jauffre then sighed.

"What's our next move?" Laura asked.

_Our next move?_ Eriama thought. _I thought this girl would deliver this priest and be done with it, just like me._ But Eriama couldn't just leave Laura. Not after how kindly Laura treated her, despite everything.

"Martin cannot stay here," Jauffre said. "We have driven them off, but they will be back once they learn of Martin's survival. Which they will."

By this time, Martin had moved to the other side of the Priory house and was inspecting the bookshelves.

"Then there's no place safe," Eriama told him.

"You're right," Jauffre told her, surprising Eriama. "Nowhere is truly safe against the power arrayed against us. But we must play for time, at least…"

"So where will Martin be safe?" Laura asked.

"Cloud Ruler Temple, I think. The hidden fortress of the Blades, in the mountains near Bruma," Jauffre said. "A few men can hold it against an army. We should leave at once."

Eriama hated Bruma. It was much too cold when she went there once to assassinate some noble for a client named "Baenlin." and she had decided not to go through that particular region of Cyrodiil again.

"Just give me a few moments to dress in some proper attire," Jauffre said. "I'll be back shortly."

Jauffre went upstairs and left the three downstairs. Eriama took Laura's arm.

"Are you actually going?" Eriama asked her.

"Of course I am," Laura replied. "Not like I can go back to normal after everything that's happened to me over the past week and a half. Besides, I want to see how this all ends. What about you?"

Eriama sighed. She wanted to leave Cyrodiil and head somewhere else. She wanted adventure.  
But if she left now, she might be guilty about leaving them now. Just like she had so many other burdens to carry on her guilty conscience.

"I don't know," Eriama said. "Not like my 'family' will take me back at this point. What do I have to lose?"

* * *

Jauffre returned a few moments later dressed in Akaviri armor and carrying a sack of things to take with him. Then, they all went outside and took the horses from the stables. Laura still had Lucky, but Eriama rode on a black and white horse that didn't seem to like her at all. Eriama wasn't used to horses, but maybe she'd have to get used to them.

The journey to Cloud Ruler Temple lasted almost two weeks, and by the end of it Eriama was tired. They all were.

She didn't know when this was all going to end, but Eriama knew she'd be very relieved when it was.


	10. Cloud Ruler Temple

**A/N: No, The whole Mythic Dawn situation doesn't take place now or any time soon. Filler first, plot conclusion for part one later. :)**

* * *

**_Chapter nine: Cloud Ruler Temple._**

Cloud Ruler Temple stood before them, and when they arrived at the top of the hill the gates opened. Laura took a deep breath when she saw a Blade climb down the steps, wearing similar armour to Jauffre's and carrying an Akaviri Katana.

"My lord! Welcome to Cloud Ruler Temple! We have not had the honor of an Emperor's visit in many years!" he greeted.

Martin blanched. "Ah, well, thank you! The honor is mine."

Laura couldn't help but feel a bit bad for Martin; he was already expected to act like the Emperor even though he had recently be pulled out his burning hometown and prior to those events, he knew nothing about this.

"Come," Jauffre said. "Your Blades are waiting to greet you, Martin."

The four went upstairs and left their horses inside a stable to the right before Jauffre practically frog-marched Martin to the edge of the steps. Laura stood beside him, while Eriama still stood by the edge of the stables.

"Blades!" Jauffre cried. "Dark times are upon us. The Emperor and his sons were slain on our watch. The Empire is in chaos. But there is yet hope. Here is Martin Septim, true son of Uriel Septim!"

For some reason, Laura was thinking maybe the Blades would think Jauffre was insane. Who would want an illegitimate Septim on the throne?

But instead, the Blades were surrounding them all and lifted their swords above their heads, crying out, _"Hail, Dragonborn! Hail, Martin Septim! Hail!"_

Martin looked flabbergasted.

"Your Highness," Jauffre said. "The Blades are at your command. You will be safe here until you can take up your throne."

Martin blinked. Laura took ahold of his right hand, but said nothing. Martin gave her a weak smile before he cleared his throat.

"Jauffre," he turned towards Jauffre, then turned towards the crowd of adoring Blades. _"All of you._ I know you all expect me to be Emperor. I'll do my best. But this is all new to me. I'm not used to giving speeches. But I wanted you to know that I appreciate your welcome here. I hope I prove myself worthy of your loyalty in the coming days. That's it. Thank you."

The Blades look a bit unimpressed by that speech, much to Laura's chagrin. _He's doing his best!_ her mind screamed. _Why can't they accept that?_

"Well…" Jauffre said. "We'd best get back to our duties, eh?"

The crowd then left them be. Some of the Blades retreated back inside the Temple, while others went to the center to train. Jauffre and Eriama then started for the Temple themselves, talking along the way.

"Not much of a speech, was it?" Martin asked. Laura turned to him. "Didn't seem to bother them, though. The Blades saluting me and hailing me as Martin Septim…"

"But you are Martin Septim, aren't you?" Laura asked.

"I don't know, Laura," Martin admitted. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I know I would be dead by now if it weren't for you. Thank you. But everyone expects me to suddenly know what to do. How to behave. They want an Emperor to tell them what to do. And I haven't the faintest idea..."

"Don't think for a second I don't get it, Martin," Laura told him. "Did they seriously expect that you would suddenly know what to do after being pulled out of Kvatch? You'll learn. And these things take time. But right now, we need to find the Amulet of Kings."

Martin nodded.

"Of course. The Amulet of Kings. So we... _I_... can take it to the Temple of the One and light the Dragonfires. And stop the Oblivion invasion."

"And then you'll be Emperor," Laura said.

"The Emperor... that's an idea that will take some getting used to," Martin said.

"I know," Laura replied.

"In any case, we need the Amulet first," Martin said.

The question was, where to start looking? They had no idea who the assassins were or who to talk to. When Laura expressed these views, Martin shook his head.

"Get some rest, Laura," Martin said. "We'll talk about it on the morrow."

* * *

Over the rest of the day, Laura ate with the Blades in the Great Hall, took a bath and slept. The next morning, Jauffre admitted her into the Blades and Laura started training, putting Chillrend aside and using her normal Akaviri Katana she had recently been given by Jauffre. Laura was training with a female Blade by the name of Jena while Eriama was on the other side of the the temple, practising her archery.

Laura had barely spoken to Eriama since they arrived at Cloud Ruler Temple. That was probably because they barely had the chance to, but Laura made a mental note to say something to her.

Later that day, Eriama bade the Blades goodbye, announcing she was going to explore Bruma and pick up some supplies for Jauffre while she was at it. That was when Laura cornered her.

"Are you alright?" Laura asked her. "You seem a bit distant."

Eriama shifted her eyes. "I'm fine. It's just...the fact that everyone seems to be so accepting of me just doesn't seem right."

Laura shook her head. "I accepted you, didn't I? What makes you think that everyone else here won't be the same? They knew I was in prison, for example."

Though in all honesty, Laura couldn't blame Eriama. She didn't exactly want to talk about her past to others, either.

"They don't know what I did," Eriama replied. "But I don't want to talk about it now."

Laura didn't say anything but turned away and rolled her eyes.

"Just keep training, Laura," Eriama said. "That's what you should be focusing on now."

"But what about the Amulet of Kings?"

"That's not our prerogative," Eriama said. "It's Jauffre's."

That was when Eriama stepped down the stairs and out of Cloud Ruler Temple, leaving Laura.

* * *

Much to everyone's fright and frustration, no one was able to find any leads on the Amulet of Kings over the next few weeks, although Jauffre reported that he was keeping a correspondence with a young Blade named "Baurus." Laura had a good idea who it was, but wasn't sure so she said nothing. But visions of a familiar Blade from the sewers filled Laura's mind.

With no sign of the Amulet, Laura kept training with the other Blades and began to feel herself improve. Soon, the only things Laura needed to learn was magic. And she didn't know any magic aside from some weak healing spells. But no one else at Cloud Ruler Temple knew magic.

_No one,_ she thought, _except Martin._

* * *

Laura had taken to sitting by the fire late at night, when she couldn't sleep. It was hard to sleep in the Blade's quarters anyway. It was colder than she was usually accustomed to and the blankets did little to help. Given this, it was highly unlikely that she would appreciate Skyrim at all.

In had been a month and a half since she had come to Cloud Ruler Temple and aside from the cold, Laura felt she was getting better at a lot of things, like her fighting skills. Laura felt she was becoming more of a warrior than the inexperienced girl that was let out of prison. She was no longer that thief who had to steal to stay alive.

When Laura entered the room, she found a box of matches on the table and started to take one out when a voice behind her said, "that won't be necessary."

Laura dropped the box and saw who it was. Martin.

"By the Nine, you startled me!" she cried. Martin looked a bit concerned but lit the fire with some sort of Destruction magic Laura hadn't seen before. But then again, she wasn't the kind of person who had lived around spellcasters.

"I didn't know priests knew _that_ kind of magic," Laura said.

"They don't," Martin replied. "I wasn't always a priest. In my youth, I was in the Mage's Guild."

"What happened?" Laura asked. Martin glanced at her. "I...I mean, it's fine if you don't want to talk about it -"

"It's fine to ask," Martin said. "Though, to be fair, I don't exactly see you talking about your past either."

Laura turned away.

"People will think differently of me if I tell them," Laura said. "You included. I wasn't exactly the best person….before all this happened."

Martin placed a hand on her shoulder. "It can't be worse than what I did."

"I was a thief," Laura blurted. "I lived on the Waterfront after I ran away from home…I got caught and sent to prison. You don't think any differently of me, do you?"

Martin shook his head.

"You saved my life. Of course I don't," Martin said. "Besides, what I did was much worse."

"What did you do?" Laura asked.

"Before I was a priest, I worshiped the daedra," Martin admitted. "It got so bad that people were killed. My friends died because of my actions."

Laura suddenly knew how Martin _knew_ they were in the Deadlands that day.

"Oh…" Laura didn't know what to say to that, but she understood Martin a bit more. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Martin said. "It happened a long time ago."

Martin picked up Chillrend off the table. "This is yours, isn't it?"

Laura nodded. "It might as well have my name on it."

At this remark, Martin cast some sort of spell on it and the sword had an inscription on the handle It was her name.

_Laura H._

Laura turned to Martin was a small chuckle and said, "Do you think I could learn magic like that? I mean, maybe you could teach me or something. I know you're going to be Emperor and all but -"

Martin gave her a quick glance. "Are you sure?"

"Of course."

* * *

The next day, Laura and Martin went into outside and the first thing Laura got to work on was some Destruction magic. Considering how cold it was, frost spells would be more appropriate.

"You need to focus," Martin said. "Destruction magic all all about inflicting some damage."  
The first try at freezing the target was a complete flop; so Laura tried several more times. Martin shook his head but smiled at her anyways.

"You're not in the right position," he told her, and Laura suddenly felt him against her back. "You need to move you hand a bit to the side - there! You've got it!"

After a few more tries, Laura finally managed to freeze her target successfully, and then they decided to call it day.

"So, why did you run away?" Martin asked her. Laura suddenly felt the hair on the back of her neck stick up. How could she tell him why? Eriama was one thing. Martin was once a priest, and when she talked to a priest about it in Kvatch, she was accused of being a liar.

"I can't tell you that," Laura said. "At least not yet. Oh, look, Martin! It's snowing!"

The snow began to fall into Laura's hair and clothes. Even though it was much colder than it was before, the sight of snow falling was actually very pretty. Laura ran to the balcony, so she could watch the scenery from above. Martin followed her.

"It's so nice, isn't it?" Laura asked.

Martin smiled.

"So what are we going to do tomorrow?" Laura asked.

"How about we learn how to do some fire spells?"

Laura gave him a grin. "Except we'll probably melt the snow."

At this remark, Martin chuckled.

"We'll do that training inside."

* * *

**A/N: You'll probably know that inscription from One They Fear, provided you've read it. :P It's still on the sword when Alina steals it from Mercer. :D**


	11. Sister, Sister

**A/N: OK, so perhaps not _lots _of filler. **

* * *

**_Chapter ten: Sister, Sister._**

A gust of wind from the outside suddenly came into Olav's Tap and Tack as Eriama opened the door. She was only here for a drink and then she'd get back to Cloud Ruler. In the corner of the room, Eriama spied a Khajiit and a fellow Dunmer arguing with Ongar the World Weary, and Eriama saw pass the Khajiit a coin purse under the table. Eriama then looked away and shook her head. Whatever's going on, it's none of my business.

"Hey, Olav!" She said.

"Eriama?" he called from the back. "What can I get you? A Sujamma?"

Eriama gave him a slight chuckle. "No thank you. A normal glass of mead will be fine."

Eriama sat at the bar and drank her glass, and in the corner of her eye she saw a someone with a familiar suit of shrouded armor enter and go up the stairs.

It was Telaendril, the Bosmer woman who helped Eriama improve her archery. Telaendril, the Dark Brotherhood assassin. Surely she would recognize Eriama? At this thought, Eriama unconsciously pulled on her helmet, determined for the woman not to recognize her -

"Eriama?"

Eriama looked up and blinked.

"Is that you?" There was no mistaking the tone in Tel's voice. It sounded a bit like shock mixed with anger.

Eriama cleared her throat.

"No, I have no idea what you are talking about," Eriama said, doing her best to fake that haughty accent the Dunmer of Morrowind often had.

Eriama could almost hear Tel roll her eyes, before she felt the Bosmer grab ahold of her arm and drag her out of the tavern, into the cold snow.

"Where have you been?" Tel demanded. "Ocheeva and Vicente wouldn't tell us...where have you been?"

Eriama shifted her eyes. "Oh, you know. Out and about…leaving the Brotherhood for another life," Eriama stopped when she saw the look on Tel's face. "I got wrapped in in something I can't really tell you about. I'm not just going to leave my friends in the lurch."

Tel shook her head.

"Just stay away from Kvatch," Tel told her. Eriama winced at this. "Given recent events and all."

"Give everyone my regards," Eriama said.

That was when she decided to head back to Cloud Ruler Temple.

For some reason, despite everything, it was nice to see Tel again.

* * *

Eriama had another dream about Ulina that night.

Only it wasn't exactly Ulina. Not the Ulina Eriama remembered from six years ago, with long red hair and soft, red eyes. This Ulina wore different clothes and sported several pieces of enchanted jewelry, along with expensive looking leather with a sword similar to her own Akaviri sword at her side. She also wore a shiny gold ring, with something on it that looked suspiciously like a moon and star...

_"Don't worry about me,_ Eriama," Ulina said. _"I'm alright."_

_"But when will you be coming back?"_ Eriama asked.

Ulina smiled sadly, but said nothing before she faded away.

Eriama quickly bolted out of bed and seeing the light outside the window, decided to get ready for today's duties around Cloud Ruler Temple.

* * *

"You alright?" Laura asked Eriama at breakfast.

"Yes," Eriama said quickly. "Why?"

Laura took a bite of her sandwich. "You were muttering in your sleep. Something about Ulina, I think…she's your sister, isn't she?"

Eriama almost choked on her bread.

"What made you think that?" Eriama asked.

Laura narrowed her eyes.

"Do you think I'm an idiot? I put two and two together," Laura said. "Now, I have some training to do. See you later."

Laura got up from the table and put her dish on one of the side tables before striding out of the dining area, leaving Eriama. That was when Jauffre entered the room, still wearing the Blades armor he had worn since leaving Weynon Priory.

"Ulina Therayn, eh?" he asked. Eriama dropped her fork and spun her head around. What?

"Did you hear us?"

"Laura talks a bit too loudly," Jauffre admitted.

"So, do you know my sister?" Eriama asked. "Or do you happen to know someone with the same name."

"Not personally," Jauffre said. "However, she was in the Blades a few years back after being shipped to Vvardenfell. In fact, last I heard she had been promoted to Operator after Cosades was recalled back."

That was when Eriama ran back to the Blades' Quarters, still in shock.

* * *

The next week, she and Laura had been assigned to the Imperial City to meet Baurus. Apparently he had some leads on the Amulet of Kings. Given that Eriama was arrested there for murder and her sister had been taken to the Imperial City six years previously in the same city.

That was when Eriama's mind went back to her sister. Ulina had been in the Blades! But Why was Ulina in the Blades, of all people? She certainly had no reason to serve the Empire. She had been arrested for a crime she hadn't even committed!

It was a long journey to the Imperial City, for emotional reasons more than anything. By the time they had arrived, it was late and the cobbled streets of the Imperial City gave off an air of eeriness Eriama didn't like one bit.

Then, they stepped into Luther Broad's Boarding House. Eriama caught a whiff of nice smells, such as baked bread and Tamika's Vintage wine. Then, a few seconds of entering the building, she saw where Baurus was sitting at the bar, with a tankard close to his lips.

"Come on," she said to Laura. "He's over there."

Eriama sat beside Baurus while Laura sat on the other side of him. He put the tankard down.

"Listen," Baurus whispered, clenching his teeth, "I'm going to get up in a minute and walk out of here. That guy in the corner behind me will follow me."

He nodded towards a middle-aged Breton male sitting in the corner with a copy of _The Lusty Argonian Maid_ and a goblet of wine. At first glance, this didn't seem suspicious at all. But, then he quickly glanced at all three of them.

"You follow him," Baurus finished. From the look on Laura's face, Eriama knew that she had many questions to ask Baurus. But Eriama placed a hand on her lip, signaling Laura to keep her mouth shut before saying, "got it," to Baurus. Baurus nodded and then got up from his seat.

Just as Baurus predicted, the man got up a few seconds later.

"I have no idea what's going on, but let's go," Eriama said.

Laura nodded.

* * *

As soon as the entered the basement, the Breton turned out to be another of those assassins.

Eriama was really getting sick of those assassins.

The man started towards Baurus with a sword made of daedric metal, and Eriama new from experience that daedric metal was deadly.

She didn't have the time to ready her bow now. Baurus was already injured. So Eriama grabbed a long stick of wood that was leaning against the stone wall and hit the assassin on the head. His body fell onto the floor.

"Is he...dead?" Laura asked.

Eriama reached down and felt a pulse. _Dammit. He's still alive._

"Search his body," Baurus said quickly. Eriama reached down and saw a strange looking book with daedric lettering on the outside cover.

"Will this do?" Eriama asked.

Baurus took it and began flipping through the pages.

"Yes, this will do just fine," the Redguard said. "I'm glad to see you both by the way. You caught me at a bad time."

"What's going on?" Laura asked.

"The assassins who killed the Emperor were part of a daedric cult known as the Mythic Dawn," Baurus said quickly.

"Let me guess," Eriama began. "They worship Molag Bal and are trying to -"

"No!" Laura cried. "Don't be so damned idiotic, Eriama. That was over eight hundred years ago. It won't ever happen again."

Baurus gave Eriama a hint of a smile.

"If it was Molag Bal, I think we'd know what to do," Baurus said. "But apparently they worship the Daedra Lord Mehrunes Dagon. I've been tracking their agents in the Imperial City. I guess they noticed."

Eriama was shocked. _Mehrunes Dagon?_ What little she knew about Dagon was that he was the Daedric Prince of Destruction. He was involved in a inane plot with Jagar Tharn over forty years ago before the Eternal Champion stopped it all.

This was bad…_very_ bad.

"They have the Amulet, Baurus," Laura said. "They took it."

"What? They took it from Jauffre?" Baurus frowned. "Things are worse than I had thought."

Eriama looked at Laura. "We found the heir, though."

"His name is Martin," Laura added.

Baurus then gave them a cheerful look.

"Thank Talos he lives! Martin Septim, you say…We will restore him to the throne! It is the sworn duty of all Blades."

The three went upstairs and sat at one of the unoccupied tables while Luther served them a warm meal and some drinks. Eriama had a glass of mead ("fresh from Skyrim," Luther had claimed) while they discussed their next move.

"There's a scholar at the Arcane University. Tar-Meena's her name," Baurus said. "She's supposed to be an expert on daedric cults. Why don't you take that book to her tomorrow morning, see what she makes of it."

"You really think they'd let us into the Arcane University?" Laura asked. "Ever since they've had that new Arch-Mage -"

"Traven," Eriama interjected.

"- They haven't let anyone but the high-ranking mages," Laura finished.

Baurus took a sip of his drink. "Relax. We're with the Blades. They can't keep us out. You do that tomorrow and I'll keep running down leads on the Mythic Dawn network in the mean time," Baurus said. "If you learn anything, you can find me at here."

It was getting late, so Laura went upstairs to bed. Eriama took this as a chance to talk to Baurus about Ulina.

"She was a former Blade, wasn't she?" Baurus asked. "I don't know much. I heard some rumors that she sailed off to Solstheim or Akavir four years ago."

Eriama frowned. Why would my sister want to go to Akavir?

"Look," Baurus said. "There's a former Blade who lives here in the Imperial City. He's retired now, but he used to be the Operative in Vvardenfell before Ulina Therayn. If anyone here know anything, he'd be the one to ask."

Eriama blinked.

"What's his name?"

"Caius Cosades," Baurus replied. "He lives in the Temple district. Maybe you could visit him during the investigation?"

* * *

**Two things you should know:**

**1. Caius Cosades is an actual NPC in _The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. _According to some texts on _The Imperial Library, _he's alive and well during the events of Oblivion, but he doesn't appear ingame. I made that up.  
**

**2. Elder Scrolls Online reference, anyone? **


	12. The Path of the Mythic Dawn

_**Chapter eleven: The Path of the Mythic Dawn.**_

Morning came and after a quick breakfast, Laura and Eriama took the long walk to the Imperial City's Arcane University. Laura had never been and was looking forward to seeing what it looked like as well as getting the information leading to the Amulet of Kings.

The Arcane University was actually a smaller area than Laura had expected. Battlemages were standing at almost every corner and a few seemed a bit flabbergasted to see them there. Laura began to wonder if Martin had been here during his days of being a mage.

"Excuse me, are you lost?"

Laura and Eriama turned around to see a young Altmer who didn't seem much older than they were. She had dark hair pinned back and was wearing green robes. She also had a kindly smile.

"No, we're here to see Tar-Meena," Laura replied. "We have...business with her."

"I think she's in the Arch-Mage's lobby," the Altmer said. "I'm Millia, by the way."

"I'm Laura," Laura replied. "This is my companion, Eriama."

Eriama gave Millia a nod.

"I haven't seen you around," Millia observed as they began walking up the stairs to the tall tower, right at the heart of the Arcane University. "Are you associates?"

"No," Laura said quickly. "But this is fairly important." _Because the fate of the Empire depends on it._ Only Laura couldn't bring herself to say it.

Millia than gave them a big smile.

"Oh! I think Tar-Meena was expecting someone today," Millia said this as she opened the door to lobby. "Tar-Meena's in here, I think."

That was when Millia left the lobby with her blond-haired, green-eyed sister, who gave them a knowing smile. Laura suddenly recognized her as the girl from Skingrad, who was staying at the inn.

Tar-Meena turned out to be an older, deep-voiced Argonian scholar. Before she noticed the two were there, she was stuck into the book she was reading. Something about _Necromancer's Moon._ Laura heard Eriama clear her throat and Tar-Meena looked up and gave them a toothy smile.

"Ah. You must be the one I got the message about. How can I help you?" she asked, putting the book down.

It was Eriama who explained everything about the Mythic Dawn and that they need her help, while Laura gave Tar-Meena the book.

"You know of them? One of the most secretive of all the daedric cults. Not much is known about them. They follow the teachings of Mankar Camoran, whom they call the Master. A shadowy figure in his own right." Tar-Meena flipped through the pages of that odd book as she said those words. "Ah yes. 'Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes,' wonderful!" Tar-Meena handed them the book back. "You have a scholarly interest in daedric cults, then?"

"Actually," Laura hesitated. She didn't want to say the wrong thing. "We're trying to find them."

"Find them, eh?" Tar-Meena gave her a curious look. "I won't poke my nose any further. Official business and all that. I'm used to working with the Blades, don't worry. Say no more."

"Thank you for understanding," Eriama said.

Tar-Meena nodded.

"In any case, finding them won't be easy."

Laura resisted the urge to groan. She had been afraid of that.

"I've studied Mankar Camoran's writings a bit myself, at least those that I could find. It is clear from the text that Mankar Camoran's 'Commentaries' come in four volumes, but I've only ever seen the first two books." Tar-Meena explained.

"What does this have to do with finding the Mythic Dawn?" Eriama asked. Laura had to wonder exactly the same thing.

"I believe that his writings contain hidden clues to the location of the Mythic Dawn's secret shrine to Mehrunes Dagon," Tar-Meena replied. "Those who unlock this hidden path have proven themselves worthy to join the ranks of the Mythic Dawn cult. Finding the shrine is the first test. If you want to find them, you'll need all four volumes of the 'Commentaries.'"

With that, Tar-Meena went to one of the bookshelves and handed them a book with similar daedric lettering on the outside to the one they had. Laura flipped through the books.

"Here, you can have the library's copy of Volume two," Tar-Meena said. She then frowned at Laura, who was flipping through the book much faster now. "Treat it gently, if you please!"

At this remark, Eriama took it and then stuffed it into her rucksack. "Any idea where we can find the other two?"

"As I said, I've never even seen the third and fourth volumes," Tar-Meena was now sitting back down on her chair. "But I would try First Edition, over in the Market District. Phintias, the proprietor, caters to specialist collectors. He may have an idea of where to locate those books."

Laura blanched. She knew all too well who Phintias was. One night, he caught her breaking into his shop and stealing some highly valuable books. He didn't report her, simply to save himself some embarrassment but no doubt he'd remember her.

"Thank you," Eriama said quickly. "I think we'll take our leave."

* * *

"It was so nice chatting with you," Tar-Meena called after them. "Be sure to let me know how your hunt for the Mythic Dawn turns out!"

"Oh, we will," Laura said loftily as they passed by a group of battlemages and left the Arcane University. "I think, if we ever get ahold of the last two books, we could send them to her."

"Great idea," Eriama responded. "Unless, of course, someone else wants them."

The two went back to Luther Broad's and met with Baurus, who was waiting for information regarding the books.

"The First Edition, eh?" he asked. "I think our next step is to go there after lunch."

And so they did.

The First Edition was in the Market District of the Imperial City. Combined with the fact that it was a place where most of the shops were and that a great deal of the Imperial City's population lived there, it was one of the busiest areas in the city. Laura used to perform several midnight raids in the Imperial City's Market District.

"I used to live there," she heard Eriama say. Eriama was nodding to the floor above Jensine's Good as New Merchandise. "Of course, Jensine didn't own the store then. Someone else did. But we did live here."

"Oh, gosh," Laura was struggling to find the right words to say. "I'm sorry -"

"Come on, you two," Baurus said in front of them. "We need to get going."

The three walked past groups of people carrying several bags, children playing in the streets and down crowded streets. The Market District was obviously quite busy today, and Laura almost tripped over someone.

"Sorry," Laura said, before turning to apologize properly to the person, until she saw who it was. Hlavesa, along with El-Leese, Adiarjj and a male Khajiit Laura hadn't met yet.

"Laura?" Hlavesa's voice was shaking. "Is that you? Where have you been?"

Laura turned helplessly to Eriama and Baurus, who were shooting her curious looks.

"You guys go on ahead," she told them. "I'll be along in a moment."

Eriama and Baurus shrugged and the two of them walked towards The First Edition, leaving Laura with her old friends.

"What in Oblivion happened to you?" El-Leese demanded. "After the night we got arrested, we never heard back from you. Where on Nirn have you been?"

"I was pardoned," Laura explained, sensing the dismissive tone in her own voice. This greatly annoyed her three friends. She could tell. The male Khajiit beside Adiarjj shook his head.

"I'm sure there's a reason Laura didn't tell you where she went," he told them. "Otherwise - from what you told me about her - she would have."

"I'm sorry," Laura began, "but you are?"

"J'Kasa," he said. "I'm Adiarjj's older brother."

That makes sense, Laura thought. She now saw features J'Kasa had that Adiarjj also had. They had the same orange fur-color, the same nose shape and eye color…

"Laura," Laura said. _Except he already knew this._

"J'Kasa has done a very good service to the guild," Adiarjj interjected. "Now Lex can't tax the citizens of the Waterfront."

Laura snorted.

"You're kidding," Laura began. "He actually _tried?"_

El-Leese rolled her eyes and said, "Unfortunately, he did. Now, enough about us. What have you been doing?"

Laura glanced towards the store where Eriama and Baurus were waiting for her. They were standing on the steps leading into the store and having what looked like a deep and meaningful conversation.

"I...I really can't tell you," Laura said. Not much was known about the Blades, and from what Jauffre had implied when she signed up, she had been sworn to secrecy for now. "I'm sorry."

The three women - Adiarjj, especially - looked as if they were ready to growl at her and demand why not, but J'Kasa thankfully gave them all very reprimanding looks and they stopped.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again," Laura said, hoping to say goodbye. "But I have business to attend to here. So, I need to get going. See you all soon."

"Nice seeing you again too, Laura," Hlavesa returned.

"And next time, for the love of the Gods, don't forget to let us know how you are after you suddenly escape prison," El-Leese chastised. "Your guild family still cares about you, as does the Grey Fox."

Laura grinned. "I would have, but like I said it is a long story. I'll remember to do so next time."

"It was nice meeting you, Laura," J'Kasa said.

Laura smiled. "You too, J'Kasa."

That was when she made her way to where Eriama and Baurus were waiting for her.

"What in Oblivion was that?" Eriama asked.

Laura glared at her.

"I was just talking to some old friends of mine," Laura replied. "Now, let's see about that third book."

Baurus nodded.

"You got that right."

* * *

Phintias was a Redguard who was unlike so many others of his race Laura encountered before. Most Redguards she knew weren't as pale, for starters. Nor as skinny. Phintias also held an air of superiority, and that wasn't surprising in the least after thinking about it. After all, Phintias owned a bookstore. No doubt he was smart. He also seemed to know he was smart. He hadn't changed from when Laura encountered him previously, and back then his arrogance was appalling.

"Morning," he began, "what can I do for you?" When Laura met his eyes, he frowned slightly but Laura chose to ignore it, and Eriama and Baurus clearly didn't notice.

The three had a silent argument as to who would be the one to speak with Phintias, who looked at them curiously. Laura sighed and the other two followed her. Eriama and Baurus didn't know Laura once tried to steal from Phintias.

"Hello, I was told that you could track down rare books so I came to ask for your help," Laura began, trying to keep her voice as polite as possible.

Phintias recognized Laura. Laura could tell. But he said nothing to give Eriama or Baurus the indication that he recognized her.

"What is it you would need MY help with?" he asked with a smirk. Laura resisted the urge to smack him across the face.

"I'm looking for the Mysterium Xarxes," Laura answered, still keeping her voice polite but glaring at him all the same.

"Ah! You must be referring to Mankar Camoran's _Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes._ A common mistake," Phintias told me in a very patronizing tone of voice. Laura still glared at him, taking great pains to try and intimidate him. Phintias didn't take her seriously, though.

"The first and second volumes are rare, but you MAY run across them from time to time. The third and fourth are _impossible_ to find," Phintias continued. He was probably wondering how in Oblivion a low-life thief such as Laura knew about such books, let alone why she was looking for them.

"I need the last two," Laura told him. "Any idea where we might find them?"

"I've never even seen a copy of the forth volume," Phintias admitted, "but I DO have a copy of the third. But it's already been paid for. Special ordered by another customer. SO sorry I can't help you."

This time, Baurus stepped forward.

"Listen," Baurus began. "You would be doing the Empire a great service if you sold that book to us."

"Gwinas already paid two hundred Septims for it," Phintias said coldly. "I'm not going to just turn my back on a valuable customer. Especially," Phintias was now looking at Laura, "since there are low-lifes around this city who lose me some pretty valuable cash because they try and steal my stock."

"Oh, for the Nine's sake," Eriama snapped.

"I'm willing to pay you double for it," Baurus insisted.

"Look, as tempting as that offer sounds, I don't just break my word," Phintias said, "but you could always wait for Gwinas. He'll be here any moment now..."

Obviously he wanted to get rid of them, so Laura pulled them to the other side of the room and they sat down.

"What do we do now?" Eriama asked.

"We wait for the Bosmer," Baurus replied. "If Phintias thinks he'll be here any moment, then we should talk to him. That shopkeeper is obviously of no help to us."

For a moment, there was a sudden silence in the room as they sat waiting for Gwinas. Laura sighed as Phintias returned to the bookshop, giving her a nasty smile.

"And just what in Oblivion was that?" Eriama demanded, turning to face Laura. Laura knew what she was referring to.

"What in Oblivion was what?" She asked innocently.  
"The...whatever _that_ was between you and that arrogant shopkeeper?" Eriama said.

"I'd rather not talk about it right now," Laura said. "It's not important."

"But-"

"Eriama," Baurus said sharply. "That's enough. Laura's right. We need to focus on the task at hand."

Eriama gave Baurus a dirty look before the store door opened and a Bosmer male wearing a long, red robe and tied back blond hair stepped into the room.

Laura could only imagine who that could be.

Gwinas walked towards Phintias and they exchanged a few words before gold changed hands and the Bosmer was handed a brown package.

"I guess we follow him now," Laura said.

"Not yet," Baurus said with clenched teeth. "Wait until he leaves the store."

Then, the door to First Edition slammed shut and the three exchanged glances before getting up and walking out of the store.

* * *

Gwinas was halfway to the Talos Plaza when they left the store, but was walking slowly enough for Laura to catch up to him. By the time Laura caught up, though, Gwinas seemed fully aware that Laura was following him and began to walk faster.

_Dammit._

So Laura decided to do exactly as he did. Walk faster.

With every few steps Laura took, Gwinas decided to go faster until he was eventually running. Then, he fell and the packaged book fell onto the cobbled floor. Laura quickly grabbed it before it fell into a nearby puddle.

"You don't happen to be the one who bought the third volume of Mankar Cameron's Commentaries, do you?" Laura asked.

Gwinas got up and gave Laura what he obviously thought was a fierce glare. He was clearly afraid of her. "I really don't see what business that is of yours, Imperial."

"Of course you don't," Laura snapped. Eriama and Baurus had now caught up to her.

"I'd be willing to pay you double what you paid Phintias for it," Baurus began.

"No," Gwinas scowled. "I came all the way from Valenwood for this book. I'll be damned if I'm going to give it up now. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hotel to check into."

The Bosmer began to walk away, but Laura grabbed ahold of his arm.

"Wait, what are you doing? If I have to I'll call the guards and have you arrested for harassment!" Gwinas seethed.

"You are in way over your head," Laura said, her tone of voice coming out sharper than she intended. Gwinas was taken aback.

"Look," he said after Laura let go of his arm, "I paid good money for that book, and I don't want to sell it. I-"

"The Mythic Dawn murdered the Emperor, you damned fool!" Laura yelled.

The blood drained from Gwinas's face quickly.

"I - please, you have the wrong man!" he cried.

"Don't lie, we SAW Phintias give you the book," Eriama replied coldly.

"I..." Gwinas shifted his eyes away from them.

"They're the reason there's all the chaos in the empire right now, you know," Laura continued. "Give us the book and help end it all!"

Gwinas grabbed the bag he was carrying with him and started looking through it furiously, before producing the book and a note.

"I...here, this is all I know!" he cried. "Take it! I want nothing more to do with it!"

"And the forth book?" Eriama demanded.

"You can get it only from a member. Now please, leave me alone!" Gwinas pleaded.

The Bosmer ran off without giving them a second look.

"I know we were supposed to get the book and all," Eriama began. "But don't you think that was a bit...unnecessary?"

Laura shook her head and snorted. "Unnecessary? No way."

"Enough," Baurus told them. "Laura, how about that note?"

Laura sighed and opened it. It took her a few moments to decipher the untidy handwriting, but when she did, she began to read the note aloud.

_Gwinas,  
Your interest in the writings of the Master has been noted. You are taking the first steps towards true enlightenment. Persevere, and you may yet join the exalted ranks of the Chosen.  
If you wish to continue further down the Path of Dawn, you will need the fourth volume of the Master's "Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes." It can be obtained only from a member of the Order of the Mythic Dawn. As your designated Sponsor, I will pass on my copy to you if I deem you worthy.  
Study the first three volumes of the Master's writings. Look for the hidden meaning in his words, as best as you are able.  
On the 10th of Hearthfire at Nine PM, come to the Sunken Sewers under the Elven Gardens in the Imperial City. Come alone. Follow the main tunnel until you reach the room with the table and chair. Sit down. I will meet you there and give you what you desire.  
The Sponsor._

"That's tonight," Eriama said. "And how in Oblivion are we supposed to navigate our way down there?"

Baurus gave her a grin. "That's simple. I'll be your guide. I know the sewers of the Imperial Sewer well."

Laura raised her eyebrows.

"You what?" Laura asked, her voice terribly deadpan. The fact that Baurus knew the sewers well, as he put it, was hardly something worth bragging about.

Baurus scowled.

"It was part of Blades training," he replied quickly. "Now, it's midday. Only two of us are needed for this particular venture. We'll go at eight-thirty, All we need to figure out is what we're going to do with the rest of our time."


	13. Green Emperor Way

**A/N: I'm almost done with part one! Can you believe it?**

* * *

**_Chapter twelve: Green Emperor Way._**

Eriama bade Laura and Baurus goodbye, and started heading for the Temple District. Baurus didn't know what particular house Caius actually lived in, so she'd have to ask around. Eriama did just that, and found out Caius lived in one of the houses at the southern part of the district. When Eriama eventually found out what house Caius lived in, she knocked on the door.

The door opened and an older man answered. He had balding white hair and was shirtless with a small, white cloth draped around his neck.

"Yes?"

Eriama decided the best thing to do was look him squarely in the eye.

"My name is Eriama," she began. "I've been lead to believe you once knew my sister, Ulina Therayn."

Caius gave her a quick look, then gave her the indication to follow him inside. Eriama did so and Caius shut the door, before turning to Eriama.

"Ulina Therayn?" he asked. "I haven't heard that name in a little over six years…"

"She was my sister," Eriama told him again. "I was told...she was in the Blades and you would be the one to know where she was."

Caius rolled his eyes. "I haven't heard from Ulina for over four years. She sailed off somewhere. I would find out, but there are more pressing matters to deal with, given recent events…"

_Of course. The Emperor's murder, Kvatch..._

"But why was she shipped to Vvardenfell in the first place?" Eriama asked.

Caius looked at Eriama.

"She was shipped there for release," Caius answered. "At the request at the Emperor himself, in fact. I was to watch over her as she did work for the Blades until I was recalled. She was a bit frustrating to give orders to, at first - especially since she seemed to want to gallivant all about the island with that Ashlander companion of hers."

But Eriama was no longer listening. At the Emperor's request? She thought angrily. What would the _Emperor_ want with _Ulina?_

"The Emperor?" Eriama asked skeptically.

"Yes, the Emperor," Caius told her. "That same Emperor who was murdered about a month ago. He specifically asked for Ulina Therayn to be released from prison a month after her imprisonment. Even I thought he was a bit insane for doing so."

"But why?" Eriama asked.

Caius shook his head.

"You don't know the half of it," he responded. "Those parents of yours obviously kept a lot of secrets from you."

Eriama frowned. "Mind telling me what that means?"

Caius nodded towards a chair.

"If you're going to hear the basic story, you may as well take a seat."

* * *

So Eriama took a seat, and then heard about Ulina. How Ulina managed to stop a big threat in Vvardenfell and then left for Mournhold, then just disappeared without a trace.

Eriama thought Caius was leaving something very essential out. She could sense it in his voice.

"There's something you're not telling me," Eriama said by the end.

"That's all there is," Caius replied.

Eriama raised her eyebrows.

"I don't believe you!" she snapped.

Caius narrowed his eyes.

"We already have a quite a bit to deal with already," Caius replied. "But...if we make it through this...Crisis...I'll tell you what I can about your sister."

Eriama narrowed her eyes.

"Everything?"

"Everything," he said with a nod.

That was when Eriama bade the old man goodbye and left. She now had a good enough reason to help during this Oblivion crisis.

Because Eriama was going to find Ulina.

* * *

The remainder of Eriama's day was spent at Luther Broads with Baurus. Laura was no where to be seen, and Baurus suspected she had gone to help Jensine out on a little errand. Whatever the case, the two poured over the three books and tried to decipher any sort of clue without the forth book, to no avail.

"Green Emperor Way…" Baurus muttered under his breath. "What does that mean?"

"I have no idea," Eriama replied. "If I did, it would have saved us some trouble."

Eriama shut the book angrily after that and then they agreed to stop studying the books and eat some food. It was almost eight PM. Laura would be back soon and then they would have to agree as to who was going to the Sunken Sewers with Baurus.

The door to the building opened and a very frazzled Laura entered, carrying two coin purses in her left hand and Chillrend in her right. The sword looked a bit red.

"What happened?" Eriama asked.

Laura narrowed her eyes.

"I dealt with some grave-robbers. Other than that, I'd rather not say."

The time was getting on. They would have to get going to the Sunken Sewers soon. And Baurus hadn't decided who was going to travel with him. The three ate the dinner Luther brought out for them in silence. Eriama wasn't really hungry. The prospect of going down into the Imperial Sewers wasn't a pleasant one.

"Eriama," Baurus said. "You'll come with me. I think you're more experienced in combat than Laura is."

Eriama raised her eyebrows, but said nothing.

"Besides," Laura said in between bites of her venison, "you're an elf. I'm an Imperial. I think if anyone could pass themself off as Gwinas, it's you."

Eriama shook her head,

"That's a _Bosmeri_ name," she reminded them. "I'm a Dunmer. That's an entirely different thing -"

Baurus placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're coming, and that's final."

* * *

Laura agreed to stay at Luther Broad's and watch their things while Eriama and Baurus left to meet with the sponsor. It wasn't that long of a trek to the nearest sewer entrance, which was at the other end of the Elven Gardens, surrounded by a small garden and there were no Imperial Guards in sight.

"Like they would care," Baurus said. "They'd probably think we're young lovers trying not to be seen."

"What?" Eriama had to laugh at that remark.

"It's happened before," Baurus shrugged, before he opened the grate and started climbing down. Eriama followed him and felt her nose wrinkle as she found her way inside. The smell of the sewers was absolutely disgusting.

"Look out, there may be mudcrabs and rats," Baurus warned her. "Perhaps Goblins."

Eriama took out her bow. "Nothing I can't handle. Did I ever tell you about the Goblin tribe me and Laura killed while we escaped our cell?"

The two continued onwards through the sewers.

"Nope, and you never told me who you were when I first met you, either," Baurus replied. "I guessed you were some sort of knight but then -"

Eriama shot a Goblin as it began approaching and stepped on several vulnerable mudcrabs. She had once heard someone claim they had fought mudcrabs more fierce than her. To this day, she still thought it was highly unlikely.

" - then you said no," Baurus finished."Who are you really? What is it about you?"  
Eriama sighed.

"Perhaps one day I'll tell you," Eriama replied. "But I can't yet. Not yet."

Baurus shrugged and then the two of them kept going on without another word.

* * *

"OK, you stay here and watch my back while I meet the sponsor," Baurus began after they reached the stairs that would take them to the meeting place. Eriama frowned. This was not part of the plan. The part of the plan was that she would meet the sponsor.

"You're kidding me, right?" Eriama asked. "I thought I was going to meet the sponsor."

"I owe the Emperor," Baurus insisted. "I think it'll be best if I meet the sponsor."

"I want to stick to the plan!" Eriama snapped. "I meet the sponsor. Got that?"

Baurus sighed. "Fine, we'll do it your way," he said. "But you have to promise me that whatever happens...you'll get the book and stop the invasion."

"I shall make no such promise," Eriama replied dryly. "But I'll do the best I can. For all our sakes."

"That's good enough for me," Baurus said before laughing.

As soon as Baurus was safely out of sight, Eriama went down the stone steps and sat down. The smell in this particular part of the sewers wasn't that bad. In fact, instead of the general sewer stench Eriama smelt burning candles and the smell of magicka.

A few minutes after Eriama sat down, she heard a creaking noise and turned to see a gate to the left of her open and an Altmer clad in bright red robes appear. Eriama guessed he was the Sponsor. The Sponsor didn't waste any time coming out of the gate on the left, and began talking.

"So!" he cried. "You want to become one of Mehrunes Dagon's chosen. The Enlightenment is difficult, but the rewards are great. I have the book you seek. With it and the Master's three other books, you will possess the key to enlightenment!"

When Eriama was sure the Sponsor wasn't looking, she glanced at Baurus. He seemed to be alright, so Eriama turned back to the Sponsor.

"But do you have the wit and the strength to use the key you have been given?" The sponsor was now looking directly at Eriama. She thought his eyes looked rather steely. "If so, I will see you at Dagon's shrine. Yes, I do think you are what we seek..."

_You're wrong,_ Eriama thought. _Oh, so very, very wrong._

All of a sudden, two more members of the Mythic Dawn came into the room, and they saw Baurus.

_Dammit!_

"I told you to come ALONE," the Sponsor seethed. "Brothers! Kill them!"

Eriama panicked and grabbed the chair she had been sitting on and hit the two other Mythic Dawn members, knocking them to the floor. The Sponsor, however, was still standing. Eriama grabbed her bow and an arrow, aiming for his heart. His body fell to the floor, blood oozing into the cracks on the ground.

"Search his body for the book before that gets ruined," Baurus instructed. Eriama was going to do that anyway.

The book was on the pockets of his robes, and the book only had a small splatter of blood on the outside cover.

"We have it," Eriama said, resisting the urge to sigh in relief.

"We should go back to Luther's," Baurus said, "it's been a long night and I'm sure we could both do with some rest. I need to get back to Cloud Ruler tomorrow. My place is at the heir's side."

"That's understandable," Eriama replied.

"What's he like, anyway?" Baurus asked when they started leaving the sewers.

"Who? Martin?"

Eriama didn't know how to describe Martin. Sure, they had been friendly, but most of the time Martin spent his time with Laura or Jauffre. Compared to everyone else, she barely knew the man.

"Do you think he would make a good Emperor?" Baurus asked again.

Eriama sighed before saying, "it's not really my place to say."

In truth, she thought Martin would be a wonderful Emperor. Better than other Emperor's in recent years.

Better than the Emperor who had sent her sister to Vvardenfell, never to be heard from again.

* * *

"Green Emperor Way where Tower Touches Midday Sun," they all read aloud the next morning. They had been sitting at their usual table in Luther's, eating breakfast and drinking coffee.

"I think it's something in the Palace District," Baurus said. "Sometime the Palace District is referred to a 'Green Emperor Way.'"

"Something in the Palace District at Midday," Laura responded. "We should head there now."

Baurus took another sip of his coffee and shook his head.

"I can't go with you. I'm needed back at Cloud Ruler. But I wish you both luck."

After Baurus left the Imperial City, Eriama and Laura headed back to the Palace District, careful to avoid the prying eyes of the palace guards - that were even worse than the usual Imperial Legion soldiers that paraded the city.

For what seemed like several hours, Eriama wandered around in circles with Laura, looking for anything that could point them in the right direction. Until midday came around, and Eriama was about to give up.

"Look here!" Laura cried. "Eriama! I've found something!"

Eriama ran to Laura's direction and found her standing in front of the largest tomb in the area. The outside of it had a glowing red map of Cyrodiil, with a mark pointing north of Cheydinhal, somewhere in the Jerall Mountains.

"Let's get our stuff," Eriama said. "We're going to Cheydinhal."


	14. The Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon

**_Chapter thirteen: The Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon._**

The trip to Cheydinhal only took a couple of hours, but then Eriama directed them off the path near the stables and then after a few more moments of traveling, they found the cave.

Eriama was the one who lead them there, and Laura followed her. After all, the Dunmer seemed to be the one who knew what to do for most of their journey. Trusting Eriama now seemed to be the smartest thing to do. If Laura had to do this job alone, she wouldn't know the first thing to do or where to go.

When they arrived, Laura had no doubt in her mind that it was the place where the shrine was. The decor said as much. There was a tapestry with a sun like design hanging on the left side.

The plan was for Laura to infiltrate the cave as an initiate of the Mythic Dawn, while Eriama would follow behind her, invisible.

"How are you going to do that?" Laura asked curiously.

Eriama frowned.

"I was born under the sign of the Shadow, remember?" Eriama asked. "I can become invisible once a day. I also have a ring of chameleon for backup."

With that, Eriama put the ring on and cast some sort of illusion magic. Laura could not see her, but could hear the faint sound of breathing.

"Just don't glance behind you too much," Eriama said. "Otherwise these murdering bastards will know something's up."

Laura felt herself frown.

"You think I'm an idiot? Because I assure you, I'm not."

"Just go in as you are," Eriama replied, ignoring Laura's words, much to Laura's chagrin. "Go on."

Laura sighed.

"Assassins first," Laura responded with a smirk.

Although Laura couldn't see Eriama, she could just imagine the look on Eriama's face.

* * *

When Laura entered the cave, she felt the cool, damp air around her and it was a wonder she didn't get sick. There was an Imperial clothed in burgundy robes and he gave Laura a curious glance. Laura coughed and approached him.

"Dawn is Breaking," he greeted.

Laura had memorized much of the words in Mankar Camoran's inane commentaries now. She knew what to say.

"Greet the new Day," Laura replied quickly. Maybe a bit too quickly was what she was thinking, but the Imperial didn't seem to notice or care.

"You may enter the shrine," he told her, "Harrow will see you. Welcome, sister."

"Why, thank you."

Laura suddenly felt as if her voice came out rather sarcastic. Again, no one seemed to notice or care. _They're all shut into their own little world, with nothing but Camoran and Dagon, it seems._

Laura entered the shrine, and even if no one else noticed, she heard the faint sound of Eriama's footsteps behind her.

A Dunmer male who Laura guessed had to be Harrow approached her. He looked older than most Dunmer she had met. He was probably already a hundred by now, just by looking at his face.

"Welcome, Sister," he said, "you're just in time to see Mankar Cameron himself give his speech. But first, I want to begin."

"I'm listening," Laura replied, trying to make her voice sound calm. Because, in all honesty, she was afraid of these people. They had managed to kill the bloody _Emperor,_ for the Nine's sake!

"Lord Dagon will see to all our needs, so those possessions of yours are no longer necessary," Harrow continued, eyeing Laura's clothing and rucksack.

Laura smiled weakly as Harrow handed her the red robes that every Mythic Dawn member was sporting. Laura gave Harrow a pointed look, and he took that as cue to leave her to change clothing. Laura did that, then stuffed her leather armour into her bag, and handed it to Harrow. Just then, Laura saw Eriama take the rucksack and hide it, unknown to Harrow, who was obviously too focused on getting to Mankar Camoran and his speech.

"That's better, now if could follow me," he said, giving Laura a nasty smile. Laura resisted the urge to shudder at this, and followed him into the next room.

The next room wasn't very well lighted at all, except at the center, where a figure was standing in front of a gigantic statue of Mehrunes Dagon. The figure was wearing enchanted blue robes and a large amulet that glowed red in the light. Laura blanched.

It was The Amulet of Kings!

Camoran was also surrounded by a group of Mythic Dawn members, who were chanting his name and hailing him and Mehrunes Dagon as lords.

It was disgusting. Absolutely appalling. _What do they think this is, fun and games? By the Nine Divines, they committed murder!_

"The Dragon Throne is empty, and we hold the Amulet of Kings!" Camoran cried. "Praise be to your Brothers and Sisters! Great shall be their reward in Paradise!"

"All hail Dagon!" the Mythic Dawn chanted in response, their cries so full of passion and zeal it gave Laura a headache.

"Hear now the words of Lord Dagon; 'When I walk the earth again, the Faithful among you shall receive your reward: to be set above all other Mortals forever. As for the rest: the weak shall be winnowed; the timid shall be cast down; the mighty shall tremble at my feet and pray for pardon.'"

_This Daedra lord means business,_ Laura thought grimly.

"So sayeth Lord Dagon. Praise be!" The crowd chanted.

Mankar Camoran turned to directly face the crowd. Laura suddenly had the horrible feeling that his eyes were directly on her; as if she knew why she was there and what she was planning to do.

"Your reward, Brothers and Sisters!" Camoran's voice suddenly seemed a bit higher than it was previously. "The time of Cleansing draws nigh. I go now to Paradise. I shall return with Lord Dagon at the coming of the Dawn!"

Camoran then opened a book, muttered some incantation under his breath, and a fiery ball of light appeared in the middle of the room. Camoran gave his followers what Laura thought to be an exceedingly nasty smile before stepping into the ball of light and disappearing.

Laura then figured out that it was a portal.

He had disappeared.

And along with him, the Amulet of Kings.

All hope was gone.

* * *

The Amulet was gone.

_The Amulet_ is _gone,_ Laura reminded herself. She had to keep reminding herself about the more than unfortunate truth.

That she had failed Martin and they were completely screwed.

"We have a new Sister who wishes to bind herself to the service of Lord Dagon," Laura heard Harrow's voice say.

"Advance, initiate," a deep, female voice said. Laura stepped up to where Mankar Camoran once stood and found herself face to face with his daughter, Ruma.

"You have come to dedicate yourself to Lord Dagon's service," Ruma said. "This pact must be sealed with red-drink, the blood of Lord Dagon's enemies. Take up the dagger and offer Lord Dagon the sacrificial red-drink as pledge of your own life's blood, which shall be his in the end."

Ruma nodded towards a bound up, unconscious Argonian male who was lying on a stone bed, naked except for a loincloth. Laura resisted the urge to wince.

"Lord Dagon thirsts for red-drink. Sate him," Ruma commanded, handing a ceremonial dagger to Laura before she could protest.

Laura slowly approached the bound Argonian, who seemed to notice Laura was there.

"I'm not going to kill you," Laura said with clenched teeth. "Just stay still and do whatever else I say."

Behind them, Laura heard Eriama's footsteps, and then the sound of something being picked up and then dropped.

"The Mysterium Xarxes!" Laura heard someone yell. "It's being stolen!"

Eriama's invisibility had worn off.

_Dammit,_ Laura thought, _we're even more screwed now._


	15. The Point of No Return

**A/N: Well, here's the last chapter of part one. Of course, there will be an epilogue. And no, this is not an April Fool's day joke. **

* * *

**_Chapter fifteen: The Point of No Return._**

Eriama looked towards the crowd of Mythic Dawn assassins who were giving her angry and frightened looks. Not knowing how to respond to them, she grabbed the book and stuffed it into her backpack.

"Traitorous bitch!" Eriama heard someone yell. "I knew I heard someone come in behind the initiate! I knew it!"

Eriama grabbed Chillrend out of Laura's bag, threw it in Laura's direction and made a silent prayer to the nine that Laura would catch it. Laura did so, and used it to cut the rope around the bound Argonian. The Argonian looked around helplessly, as if unable to move.

"RUN!" Eriama yelled at him. "We'll hold them off. JUST GO!"

The Argonian fled the scene, and Eriama hoped there weren't any other Mythic Dawn assassins to catch him. She then turned to the crowd.

"You say that Lord Dagon only needs a blood sacrifice?" Eriama asked, pulling out her bow. "Well, I'd be only too happy to oblige, you murdering bastards!"

Eriama then shot an arrow in Harrow's direction, and the arrow pierced his left eye. He screamed out in pain before falling to the floor. For the first time, Eriama had felt a great deal of satisfaction about killing.

"You won't get away with this!" Ruma Camoran screeched. The Altmer then unsheathed a very deadly looking stave. Eriama hadn't seen many of them before in her life, but the smell was deadly. It was a staff of sickness.

Feeling a burst of confidence she never knew, Eriama then went up behind her and pulled out the dagger she had found, holding it against Ruma Camoran's throat.

"Yes, Ruma Camoran," Eriama said, feeling the corners of her mouth twitch, "I do think I will."

And then blood splattered all over Ruma's robes. Ruma's body then dropped to the floor, too lifeless to move.

"Anyone else want to be killed?" Eriama yelled to the crowd. The expressions on most of their faces were blank. Eriama expected one of them to answer 'no,' but this didn't happen.

"We do not fear death!" A female Breton cried. "When we die, we will go to Paradise. With our master."

Eriama winced. She was outnumbered two to goodness knows how many. There was no way she and Laura would get out of this fight alive.

"Laura," Eriama whispered. "We need to run."

Eriama didn't think about doing anything else; she just felt her feet pick up off the ground and running out of the large chamber with Laura, both of their bags bouncing up and down on her back. The remaining Mythic Dawn assassins were following them. Eriama knew it, but she kept running. It was all they could do.

* * *

The door out of the cave was locked. The Doorkeeper had obviously been tipped off and locked it. Laura couldn't even lockpick it opened.

In the corner of the room, Eriama spotted a large piece of wood and went to grab it.

"What are you doing?" Laura squeaked. Eriama pried it from behind a set of crudely constructed shelves.

"Saving our asses," Eriama replied. "There is no way in Oblivion I'm dying today."

At this remark, Eriama thought she heard Laura mutter "not today" repeatedly under her breath.

Eriama bashed the long piece of wood into the badly constructed door, smashing it it pieces. Then, they kept on running outside. Eriama turned and saw a horde of remaining Mythic Dawn assassins still after them.

There was a waterfall nearby. Maybe we can get them off our trail…

"We're going to jump," Eriama announced.

Laura gave Eriama a scornful look. "Are you insane?"

"Never been diving before?" Eriama snapped. Though in truth, Eriama had never been diving. "We'll just jump and be fine."

Eriama then took Laura's hand and then the two dived into the waterfall. Eriama heard Laura scream and then they landed, the stream still carrying them until they managed to swim for shore.

* * *

Their belongings were safe. Eriama had learnt how to cast a great deal of magic during her time at Cloud Ruler Temple. However, they themselves were drenched. Eriama felt water drip down her back into her clothes. Her shrouded armor was ruined. Her hair was soaked. Laura looked even worse with the bright red robes of the Mythic Dawn falling all over her.

"Great," Laura said bitterly. "Just great! We're completely and utterly screwed!"

Laura ripped off the soaking robes, not caring about the fact that they were out in the open and anyone could catch her.

"What are you talking about?" Eriama asked her.

Laura cast Eriama a very scornful look.

"What do you think?" The Imperial asked her. "We lost the goddamned Amulet! Now Martin can't be Emperor and we're doomed...Uriel should never have trusted us…"

Eriama sighed and then opened her rucksack, revealing the Mysterium Xarxes. It was completely dry, unlike them.

"Not all hope is lost," Eriama said softly. "This was the book that Mankar Camoran used to open that damnable portal to wherever he went. Maybe we could figure out how to open that same portal?"

Laura folded her arms over her bare chest.

"And get the Amulet back?"

"Of course," Eriama gave Laura as calm of a look as she could. Really, Eriama was scared too. What if they couldn't translate the Mysterium Xarxes before Mankar Camoran did some real damage? And if they did real damage, how doomed would Tamriel be?

Laura was now clothed and made room in a small spot for her to lie down and sleep.

"Come on," Laura said. "We may as well get some sleep. Tomorrow, we'll make our way back to Bruma."

Eriama nodded, and found a place to lie down. But she couldn't sleep even when Laura could.

Secunda and Masser were full tonight, and the stars that surrounded them were shining brightly in the sky. Eriama looked up at them as she kept think about the events that brought her here. About Laura…

They were apart as could be until prison, Laura and Eriama. And now they were bound together by the words of a dead Emperor, sent to close the jaws of Oblivion itself.

And Eriama had no idea if they would succeed or not, but she would try. For all their sakes.


	16. Epilogue

**A/N: Much shorter compared to the prologue, but I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

_**Epilogue.**_

Eldamil looked towards the Dremora warlords that occupied the Forbidden Grotto. They were talking in hushed up voiced so none of his kind couldn't hear.

The agents of the Empire had taken the Mysterium Xarxes, and they had the amulet. While most of Camoran's cronies seemed rather angry, Eldamil was not. He was actually rather relieved. That book in the hands of Camoran would only cause much more of a disaster.

_"Mortal,"_ Eldamil heard the Orthe's harsh tones suddenly interrupt his thoughts. _"What has happened to Anaxes?"_

"I...I don't know," Eldamil admitted. He hadn't seen the Xivilai for a good two days now. "Perhaps some of the garden chattels have him trapped again."

_"Find out,"_ Orthe ordered. _"And bring any involved here for questioning. Give them the Bands. They know how it goes."_

Eldamil didn't reply, but left the cave to find Anaxes. He knew that if he didn't, he'd meet the same fate as they would. As he left the scene, he heard the screams of several Ascended Mortals, many of them imprisoned in Mankar Camoran's Paradise because they made the wrong choices. Like him…

Eldamil tried to block out the screaming but the cries grew louder as they fell into the lava, flesh falling of their very bodies, their charred bones floating in the stream.

_Divines, help me,_ Eldamil thought. This was the life they had been promised; to live in torture forever, never really dying. Except, for Eldamil, it was much worse. He had guilt on his conscience, a burden on his shoulders. He had helped take innocent life that day in Kvatch. After all that, he didn't deserve to hear the mercy of the Gods. Although he prayed anyway. He couldn't help it.

When Eldamil emerged outside, he heard much louder screams. Several of the Ascended Mortals were running havoc in the gardens. Anaxes was chasing them, a large club in his hands.

_Akatosh, help me._

* * *

**A/N: So ends the first installment.**

**Oh, and I don't own Oblivion, TES or anything but my own characters and plotlines.**


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